Actor Shyam Pathak, who plays the character of journalist Popatlal on Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, has turned 46 today. And the actor was soo good at playing the character that it became his identity in real life as well.
Popatlal, who is seen as a bachelor on screen, is married in real life and is also a father to three children. However, not many know that it took him 14 years to get married to Reshmi, his wife. Shyam Pathak had a love marriage with Reshmi.
According to media reports, his family members were against this relationship, but he was adamant that he would marry only her. The lovely couple has a daughter and two sons. It has been 19 years since the two got married.
Shyam made his acting debut with the movie Ghoonghat in 1997, and very few people know that he worked in the 2007 super hit Chinese film Lust, Caution. It is an erotic, espionage periodic film directed by Ang Lee. Shyam played the role of a jewellery shopkeeper.
The film grossed 67 million worldwide over a 16 million budget, making it the highest grossing NC-17 rated film of all time. In 2008, he started working in the daily soap Jasuben Jayantilaal Joshi Ki Joint Family, which aired on NDTV Imagine. He played the role Rajendra Jayantilaal Joshi. It was one of the most popular shows on Imagine TV.
He also appeared in the show Sukh By Chance. The story revolved around a middle-class Gujrathi family, The Mehtas, with modest financial earnings. He portrayed the character of Dheeraj Mehta. The show broadcasted on Sony TV.
But of all the shows, he got his name and fame from Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. The series airs on Sony SAB and is also digitally available on Sony LIV. The show holds the Guinness World Record for the longest running daily television program.
