Exclusive - Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah's Tanuj Mahashabde aka Mr Iyer on being single; says 'Main real-life ka Popatlal hoon'

Tanuj Mahashabde, best known for his portrayal of Mr. Iyer in Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, plays Krishnan Subramaniam Iyer, a Chennai-based scientist and the husband of Babita, portrayed by Munmun Dutta. Additionally, his character serves as the treasurer of Gokuldham Society. Recently, in an exclusive chat with the Times of India TV, Tanuj opened up about his single status. He even joked and stated, "I am the real-life Popatlal."
Speaking about being single, he said, "Haan screen par sundar biwi hai but personal life mein main ab tak kunwara hoon. Main real-life ka Popatlal hoon. (Laughs). Main Abhi tak unmarried hoon but now that I’m speaking to the Times of India hopefully something positive will happen."
When asked if his busy work schedule leaves him with no time for a personal life, he responded, "Maybe... I don't know the reason."
In the interview, the actor spoke about his working experience with Dilip Joshi, he shared, "When the show started it was very challenging for me to portray a South Indian character. I used to say lines very fast initially but at one point Dilip bhai helped me a lot in sketching the role. Asit bhai also helped a lot. Itni Madad ki ke main uss role mein ghusna shuru kar diya. Now, my entire way of talking and my body language has become that of a South Indian person."
He even credited other co-stars and revealed how they work as a family, "All this can happen only when you have senior supporting actors working with you. Be it Mandar, Shyam bhai, Amit Bhatt and Balwinder bhai he is also a senior actor even he gives me some amazing inputs. All this helps in making our scenes better. First we all laugh together and then after watching us on screen, the audience also enjoys it."

Tanuj Mahashabde is an Indian actor and writer, best known for portraying Krishnan Iyer in the popular sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. His character, a witty scientist with a strong South Indian accent, has become a fan favorite. Originally a writer for the show, he was later cast as Iyer due to his striking chemistry with co-star Munmun Dutta (Babita). Tanuj has a background in theatre and has worked in Marathi films and television. His comedic timing and unique portrayal have earned him widespread recognition, making him a beloved figure in Indian television.
Tanuj started his career by doing odd jobs.