Nidhi Bhanushali of ‘Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah’ on Her Ramp Walk in Tokyo and Why She Is Staying Away From TV (EXCLUSIVE)

Known across Indian homes as Sonu from the superhit sitcom, “Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah,” Nidhi Bhanushali turned heads at the recent Rakuten Fashion Week in Tokyo. The actress who’s been missing a while from television also acts and directs social media marketing ads. Talking about her experience at the Rakuten Fashion Week in Tokyo in March this year, Nidhi, who wore a saree with a wide belt, leather gloves and a tie, said, “I do not see tradition as nostalgia. For me, it is a living language.” 

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Praising her choice of garment, she added, “The saree has never been static. It is adapted across regions of India. I wore a saree as it signifies how we do not discard our past but can adapt it in a completely new context. She added, "Being there gave me a global perspective on fashion. I felt proud to reinterpret and present something culturally significant to us. Many asked me about myself, which felt very encouraging. It was good to see it make it as part of a meaningful conversation rather than just being a visual.”

Nidhi says she is in a space where she wants to explore different mediums. She joined “Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah” when she was around 13 years old and worked on the show for close to seven years. Admitting that many actors are working as digital creators, she says, “Today, social media has engaged actors as creators, but working in cinema is like being part of a legacy. Social media has real-time engagement, but that cannot replace substance or build a sustaining career.”

Talking about how her career in TV as a young actress prepared her, Nidhi says, “I worked on Headshot with TVF and have signed one more project on OTT. I stayed away from TV as I wanted to grow as an actor through various mediums.” She is also busy conceptualizing and directing short-form reels for products.