- By Mukul Sharma
- Mon, 26 Jul 2021 03:03 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Mumbai | Jagran Entertainment Desk: Actress Munmun Dutta remains a household name across India for her role as Babita Iyer in wildly popular sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. The 33-year-old actress recently featured in headlines as the reports of her quitting the show started emerging. The actress continues to be absent from the show since the controversy stoked by the her alleged use of casteist slur in a video went viral and led to massive controversy. Munmun, however, set the record straight to explain her absence from Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, saying that reports of her quitting the show took a toll on her.
“Over the past 2-3 days, few things were falsely reported, which had negative implications on my life. People are saying that I did not report on the sets of the show and it is totally untrue. The truth is that the track in the show did not require my presence. Therefore, I was not called for shooting. Production decides the scenes and the next track. I don’t decide that. I am just an individual who goes to work, does her job and comes back. So if I am not required in the scenes, I will obviously not shoot,” Munmun told Etimes while quashing the rumours of quitting the show she has been a part of since last 13 years.
The actress added that if she plans to quit the show she will declare it herself. “Because viewers are emotionally attached to my character and they deserve to know the truth than just speculate,” Munmun further told Etimes.
The producers of the show also echoed Munmun’s assertion of her still being the part of the show. “Munmun Dutta continues to remain part of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah as Babita. Any rumors about her quitting the show is baseless and incorrect,” Neela Film Productions Pvt Ltd said in an official statement.
In a video posted on May 9, Munmun allegedly used a casteist slur, following which a case was filed against her under section 3 of the Prevention of Atrocities against SC/ST Act as well as IPC section 295 (A) (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs). The actress issued an apology next day calling it an apparent act of “language barrier” instead.