Will Nirmal Soni enter the show as Dr Hathi in today's episode?

Pic courtesy: @nirmalsoni1 (Instagram)

Mumbai: If the reports are anything to go by, actor Nirmal Soni has replaced late Kavi Kumar Azad as Dr Hathi in the popular sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah.

Soni, who had earlier essayed the same character before quitting the show in the past, will reportedly make a comeback in tonight's episode. According to a report in Pune Mirror, Nirmal will return to the show on Monday's Ganesh Chaturthi special episode. He will be seen performing the Ganesha aarti with his on-screen wife Ambika Ranjankar, who plays Komal Hathi.

On a related note, Disha Vakani aka Daya Ben will return to the show in the next two months. She is currently on maternity leave.

Produced by Asit Kumar Modi, Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, which began on July 28, 2008, is based on Duniya Ne Undha Chashma written by late columnist/journalist Taarak Mehta for a weekly magazine Chitralekha. It has completed over 2500 episodes.

With actors like Dilip Joshi (Jethalal Champaklal Gada), Disha Vakani (Daya Jethalal Gada), Shailesh Lodha (Taarak Mehta) and Amit Bhatt (Champaklal Gada), Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashma, is a complete family entertainer.

TMKOC is about the neighbours residing at Gokuldham Cooperative society. A number of families co-exist happily and share great warmth and love for each other. There are people from various cultural backgrounds and the show beautifully depicts the diverse cultures of India.

The show won the “Longest Running Comedy Show” award and declared rightfully so by the Limca Book of World Records.