Rajpal Yadav has spoken about turning down the role of Jethalal in the popular sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. Dilip Joshi currently plays Jethalal in the show, which will complete 13 years next week.
Speaking to radio host Siddharth Kannan as to whether he has any regrets refusing the role Rajpal Yadav said, "Nahi, nahi. Jethalal ka character ki pehchaan ek achche adakaar, ek achche kalakaar ke haathon hui aur main har kirdaar ko kisi kalakaar ka kirdaar maanta hoon (No, no. The character of Jethalal is identified with a fine actor, and I believe that an artist shapes a character)".
Rajpal continued in Hindi, "We are in the business of entertainment and I don't want to play a character which another actor has essayed before. I hope that I have the good fortune of doing roles written for me, but I don’t want to take up an already established character".
Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, which revolves around the lives of the residents of Gokuldham Co-operative Housing Society in Mumbai, premiered on Sony SAB in 2008.
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