15 August,2026 11:31 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah team at Empire State building. Pic via special arrangement
On the occasion of India's Independence Day on Saturday, August 15, 2026, the iconic Empire State Building illuminated its world-famous tower lights in green, white, and orange. The building, which was earlier lit blue to mark Taylor Swift's wedding, lit up in partnership with the Federation of Indian Associations, marking this year's India Day theme, 'Harmony in Heritage.' The theme recognises the shared traditions, values, and contributions connecting the Indian American community and the United States. The Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah team was seen visiting the monument on the occasion.
The cast members of the popular Indian television show Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah and its makers, including Asit Kumarr Modi, Dilip Joshi, Mandar Chandwadkar, and Sonalika Joshi, were seen joining the special lighting ceremony as they flipped the iconic light switch at the Empire State Building.
Actor Adivi Sesh, who was recently seen in the Dacoit, which saw the biggest opening of his career, also participated in the celebration.
After the ceremony, the group also visited the Empire State Building Observation Deck Experience, which has recently been named the Number 1 Top Attraction in the United States. The group was also seen posing for photos from the building's 86th Floor Observation Deck.
The popular sitcom is known to merge real-life situations and occasions in its episodes. As part of the promotions of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Taarak Mehta ka Ooltah Chashmah integrated the film into one of the episodes. A person dressed up as the superhero character was seen arriving in Gokuldham society. In the episode, Spider-Man landed in the society and touched the feet of Champaklal, played by Amit Bhatt, to seek his blessings, which scared the elderly character.
Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, or TMKOC, is a popular Indian sitcom and comedy series, based on the weekly column Duniya Ne Undha Chasma by Tarak Mehta for the magazine Chitralekha. The show is produced by Asit Kumarr Modi and is one of the longest-running television series in India. It first premiered on July 28, 2008, on Sony SAB. Now, it is also digitally available on SonyLIV.
