Speculations were rife that Disha Vakani aka Dayaben would return to the show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah soon, especially with a new promo hinting about her re-entry. However, producer Asit Kumarr Modi has cleared the air. “Dayaben, the character, is all set to return, but it’s not Disha Vakani. Auditions for Disha’s replacement are on and there will be a new actress coming in as Dayaben soon.”

Disha took a break from the show five years ago. So, why did it take the makers so long to bring in a replacement? Asit said, “The reason why it took us so long to replace Disha is that after getting married, Disha did work for some time. Then she took a break and had a baby, and continued her break to raise her child. She never quit the show. Humko umeed thi ki Disha will return. But then the pandemic struck. There were too many restrictions on shooting during that time. Even though we were taking all the necessary precautions, Disha said she was scared to return to the set.”

He added, “We decided to wait for her as she has a long association with the show and shares a good relationship with the entire team. We were always positive about her return. Even now, she has not put in her papers as it’s not required in her case. She is like family. She had a second baby recently and now won’t be able to return to the show. Auditions are on in full swing to find a new Dayaben and we will finalise the actor soon.”