Ansuma Basumatary at 12:43, 19 January 2026

2026-01-19T12:43:16Z

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{{short description|Indian actress (born 1978)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2016}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Disha Vakani Padia
| birth_name = Disha Vakani
| birth_date = {{birth_date and age|1978|08|17|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Ahmedabad]], [[Gujarat]], India
| education = [[Gujarat College]], Ahmedabad
| occupation = Actress
| years_active = 1997-2019
| father =
| relatives = Mayur Vakani (brother)
| spouse = {{marriage|Mayur Padia|24 November 2015}}
| children = 2
| website =
| image = DishaVakani1.jpg
| caption = Vakani in 2011
| imagesize =
| known for = ''[[Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah]]''
}}

'''Disha Vakani Padia''' (born 17 August 1978); known professionally as '''Disha Vakani''', is an Indian actress who predominantly works in [[Hindi]] films and television.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-02-24 |title=TMKOC's Daya Ben AKA Disha Vakani Performs Ashwamedh Yagya Puja With Her Husband And Kids - Watch |url=https://www.timesnownews.com/entertainment-news/tv/taarak-mehta-ka-ooltah-chashmahs-daya-ben-aka-disha-vakani-performs-ashwamedh-yagya-puja-with-her-husband-and-kids-watch-article-107966818 |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=Times Now |language=en}}</ref> Vakani is widely known for her portrayal of [[Daya Jethalal Gada]] in India's longest-running [[sitcom]], ''[[Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah]]''. She is also known for her role in the films ''[[Devdas (2002 Hindi film)|Devdas]]'', ''[[Mangal Pandey: The Rising]]'' and ''[[Jodhaa Akbar]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|title=Gujarat comes alive on TV|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tv/news-and-gossip/Gujarat-comes-alive-on-TV/articleshow/17293926.cms|newspaper=The Times of India|access-date=23 October 2018|date=23 October 2018|first=Shruti|last=Jambhekar|archive-date=24 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181024083759/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tv/news-and-gossip/Gujarat-comes-alive-on-TV/articleshow/17293926.cms|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Disha Vakani was born 17 August 1978<ref name="dnaindia.com">{{Cite web |title=Disha Vakani Birthday: B-Grade फिल्म में 'कमसिन' बनीं थीं Dayaben, जेठालाल की पत्नी बनने के बाद बदली किस्मत |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/hindi/entertainment/television/news-tmkoc-fame-disha-vakani-aka-dayaben-played-lead-role-b-grade-film-kamsin-untouched-4045496 |access-date=2023-05-25 |website=DNA Hindi |language=hi}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/daya-ben-aka-disha-vakani-turns-a-year-older/liveblog/48508072.cms |title=Daya Ben aka Disha Vakani turns a year older |date=17 August 2015 |access-date=17 August 2015 |newspaper=[[The Times of India]] |archive-date=24 April 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240424055637/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/daya-ben-aka-disha-vakani-turns-a-year-older/liveblog/48508072.cms |url-status=live}}</ref> in [[Ahmedabad]], [[Gujarat]].<ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnTo5dPDFMU |title=Disha Vakani's aka Daya Ben's introduction |date=16 March 2014 |work=Saas Bahu aur Saazish |time=0:36 |via=YouTube}}</ref> Her brother, Mayur Vakani is also an actor.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lesser Known siblings of Hindi television |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/bhai-dooj-2023-from-disha-vakani-and-mayur-vakani-to-jannat-zubair-and-ayaan-zubair-lesser-known-siblings-of-television/amp_etphotostory/105230198.cms |date=15 November 2023 |access-date=21 November 2023 |website=The Times of India|language=}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=TMKOC's Mayur Vakani aka Sundar paints a beautiful portrait of his sister Disha |url=https://www.zoomtventertainment.com/telly-talk/article/pic-inside-taarak-mehta-ka-ooltah-chashmahs-mayur-vakani-aka-sundar-paints-a-beautiful-portrait-of-his-sister-disha/597432 |date=27 May 2020 |access-date=26 December 2022 |website=Zoom TV|language=}}</ref>

== Career ==
[[File:Disha Wakani on the sets of KBC 07.jpg|left|thumb|Disha Vakani on the sets of [[Kaun Banega Crorepati|KBC]] as her famous role of [[Daya Jethalal Gada|Daya]], a fictitious character in the serial ''[[Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah]]'']]
Disha was introduced to theatre at a very young age by her father Bhim Vakani, a noted Gujarati theatre personality. Her career in acting kick-started as a child theatre-artiste with her father. She then graduated in the Dramatic arts from Gujarat College and went on to work in popular plays such as Kamal Patel v/s Dhamal Patel, Baa Retire Thai Che and Lali Lila.
<ref name="mirror11">{{cite news |date=30 December 2011 |title=I enjoy acting: Disha Vakani |url=http://mumbaimirror.com/entertainment/tv/I-enjoy-acting-Disha-Vakani/articleshow/16193137.cms |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131111103004/http://mumbaimirror.com/entertainment/tv/I-enjoy-acting-Disha-Vakani/articleshow/16193137.cms |archive-date=11 November 2013 |access-date=14 May 2013 |newspaper=Mumbai Mirror}}</ref> She has played supporting roles in [[Bollywood|Hindi films]] like ''[[Devdas (2002 Hindi film)|Devdas]]'' (2002) and ''[[Jodhaa Akbar]]'' (2008).<ref>{{cite news |title=Pretty women |author=Jhumari Nigam-Misra |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/supplement/story/20091123-pretty-women-741298-2009-11-11 |date=12 November 2009 |access-date=14 May 2013 |archive-date=22 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130922201913/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/Pretty+women+/1/70595.html |url-status=live}}</ref> She has played the lead role of [[Daya Jethalal Gada|Daya "Dayaben" Jethalal Gada]] in [[SAB TV|SAB TV's]] sitcom ''[[Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah]]'' since 2008.<ref>{{cite news |title=Comedy Inc |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/comedy-inc/640054/0 |date=1 July 2010 |access-date=14 May 2013 |archive-date=12 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201012015838/http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/comedy-inc/640054/0 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Character's the KING |url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/characters-the-king/715489/0 |newspaper=The Indian Express |date=25 November 2010 |access-date=14 May 2013 |archive-date=12 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201012015852/http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/characters-the-king/715489/0 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Funny female bone |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Funny-female-bone/articleshow/4681848.cms |newspaper=The Times of India |date=21 June 2009 |access-date=14 May 2013 |archive-date=24 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130724024753/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2009-06-21/mumbai/28175223_1_gujarati-daya-housewife |url-status=live}}</ref> Her brother Mayur Vakani also plays her on-screen brother Sundarlal or Sundar. She went on maternity leave in September 2017 and did not return to the show as of 2026.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://www.dnaindia.com/television/report-confirmed-disha-vakani-not-returning-as-dayaben-on-taarak-mehta-ka-ooltah-chashmah-2711350 |title=Confirmed! Disha Vakani not returning as Dayaben on 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' |date=23 January 2019 |website=dna |language=en |access-date=19 February 2019 |archive-date=20 February 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190220002732/https://www.dnaindia.com/television/report-confirmed-disha-vakani-not-returning-as-dayaben-on-taarak-mehta-ka-ooltah-chashmah-2711350 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/television/top-stories/story/asit-modi-on-replacing-disha-vakani-on-taarak-mehta-ko-ooltah-chashmah-no-one-is-bigger-than-the-show-1494171-2019-04-04 |title=Asit Modi on replacing Disha Vakani on Taarak Mehta Ko Ooltah Chashmah: No one is bigger than the show |date=4 April 2019 |website=India Today |language=en |access-date=8 April 2019 |archive-date=5 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405145918/https://www.indiatoday.in/television/top-stories/story/asit-modi-on-replacing-disha-vakani-on-taarak-mehta-ko-ooltah-chashmah-no-one-is-bigger-than-the-show-1494171-2019-04-04 |url-status=live}}</ref>

==Personal life==
She married a [[Mumbai]]-based [[chartered accountant]] named Mayur Padia on 24 November 2015.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-dayaben-of-taarak-mehta-ka-ooltah-chashmah-aka-disha-vakani-ties-the-knot-2148416 |title=Dayaben of 'Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah' aka Disha Vakani ties the knot |newspaper=[[Daily News and Analysis]] |date=25 November 2015|access-date=26 November 2015 |archive-date=27 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151127020644/http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-dayaben-of-taarak-mehta-ka-ooltah-chashmah-aka-disha-vakani-ties-the-knot-2148416 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="India Today 2015">{{cite web |title=TV actress Disha Vakani ties the knot! |website=India Today |date=24 November 2015 |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/television/celebrity/story/dayaben-of-taarak-mehta-ka-ooltah-chashmah-disha-vakani-ties-knot-with-chartered-accountant-mayur-274153-2015-11-24 |access-date=16 February 2017 |archive-date=16 February 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170216220009/http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/dayaben-of-taarak-mehta-ka-ooltah-chashmah-disha-vakani-ties-knot-with-chartered-accountant-mayur/1/530340.html |url-status=live}}</ref> On 27 November 2017, the couple became parents to a baby girl.<ref name=":0" />
She gave birth to a baby boy in May 2022.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/exclusive-disha-vakani-aka-dayaben-becomes-a-mother-to-baby-boy-this-is-her-second-child/articleshow/91763054.cms | title=Exclusive! Disha Vakani aka Dayaben becomes a mother to baby boy, this is her second child | newspaper=The Times of India | date=24 May 2022 }}</ref>

==Filmography==
===Films===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! Language
! class="unsortable"| Notes
! class="unsortable"| Ref.
|-
| 1997
| ''[[Kamsin: The Untouched]]''
| Pinky
| [[Hindi]]
|
|<ref>{{Cite news |date=2015-04-15 |title=Disha Vakani doesn't regret her past |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/disha-vakani-doesnt-regret-her-past/articleshow/46929739.cms |access-date=2024-01-19 |work=The Times of India |issn=0971-8257}}</ref>
|-
| 1998
| ''Mahisagar Na Moti''
| Geeta
| rowspan="2" | [[Gujarati language|Gujarati]]
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2" |1999
| ''Pandadu Lilu Ne Rang Rato''
| Parul
|
|
|-
| ''[[Phool Aur Aag]]''
| {{Unknown}}
| Hindi
|
|
|-
| rowspan="2"| 2002
| ''Paiso Maro Parmeshwar''
| {{Unknown}}
| Gujarati
|
|
|-
| ''[[Devdas (2002 Hindi film)|Devdas]]''
| Sakhi
| rowspan="6" | Hindi
|
|
|-
| 2005
| ''[[Mangal Pandey: The Rising]]''
| Yasmin
|
|<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.variety.com/review/VE1117927824.html?categoryid=31&cs=1 | work=Variety| title=The Rising: Ballad of Mangal Pandey Movie Review | first=Derek | last=Elley | date=4 August 2005}}</ref>
|-
| 2006
| ''Jaana... Let's Fall in Love''
| Salma Disa
|
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2008
| ''[[Jodhaa Akbar]]''
| Madhavi
|
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/masands-verdict-jodhaa-akbar/59060-8.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081113120210/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/masands-verdict-jodhaa-akbar/59060-8.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 November 2008|title=Masand's Verdict: Jodhaa Akbar|website=IBN Live|access-date=1 July 2011}}</ref>
|-
| ''[[C Kkompany]]''
| Asha Trivedi
| Special appearance
|
|-
| ''[[Love Story 2050]]''
| Maid
|
|
|}

===Television===
{|class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable"| Notes
! class="unsortable"| Ref.
|-
| 2002
| ''[[Justujoo]]''
| Mehul's makeup artist
|
|
|-
| 2003
| ''Shubh Mangal Savadhan''
| Sanskriti
|
|
|-
| 2004
| ''[[Khichdi (2002 TV series)|Khichdi]]''
| Various characters
|
|
|-
| 2004–2005
| ''[[Aahat (Indian TV series)|Aahat]]''
| Bina
|
|
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2005
| ''[[Instant Khichdi]]''
| Nisha
| Guest appearance
|
|-
| ''[[Hero – Bhakti Hi Shakti Hai]]''
| School Teacher
|
|
|-
|''[[Rooh]]''
|Kajal Srivastav
|Guest Appearance(Ep 14)
|
|-
| 2006
| ''[[Resham Dankh]]''
| Kinari
|
|<ref>{{cite web |url = https://photogallery.indiatimes.com/tv/shows/gujarati-flavour-on-prime-time-tv/articleshow/31458718.cms |title = Gujarati flavour on prime time TV |work = The Times of India |access-date = 10 November 2018 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20181116174732/https://photogallery.indiatimes.com/tv/shows/gujarati-flavour-on-prime-time-tv/articleshow/31458718.cms |archive-date = 16 November 2018|url-status = live |df = dmy-all
}}</ref>
|-
| 2008–2019
| ''[[Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah]]''
| rowspan="2"| [[Daya Jethalal Gada]]
|
|<ref>{{cite web |title=Dear Taarak Mehta, you were our peak comfort content for 14 years |work=The Print |date=21 May 2022 |accessdate=16 September 2023 |url=https://theprint.in/opinion/pov/dear-taarak-mehta-you-were-our-peak-comfort-content-for-14-years-now-its-time-to-retire/963666/ |archive-date=16 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240616155030/https://theprint.in/opinion/pov/dear-taarak-mehta-you-were-our-peak-comfort-content-for-14-years-now-its-time-to-retire/963666/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| 2014
|''[[CID (Indian TV series)|CID]]''
| Special appearance
|<ref>{{Cite news|title=CID and Tarak Mehta Ka Oolta Chashma to have a Mahasangram episode |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/CID-Tarak-Mehta-Ka-Oolta-Chashma-to-have-a-Mahasangram-episode/articleshow/37645778.cms|access-date=3 June 2020|website=The Times of India|date=2 July 2014 |language=en}}</ref>
|}

==Accolades==
[[File:Disha Vakani at 11th Indian Television Academy Awards.jpg|thumb|Vakani- Padia at [[ITA Awards]], 2011]]
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Award
! Category
! Work
! Result
! Ref
|-
|2008
|[[Indian Television Academy Awards]]
|[[ITA Award for Best Actress - Comedy]]
| rowspan="10" |''Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah''
| rowspan="10" {{won}}
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2009
| [[Indian Telly Awards]]
| [[Indian Telly Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role – Female|Best Actor in a Comic Role – Female]] (Popular)
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indiantelevisionacademy.com/site/awards_hhita_details_new.php?year=2009 |title=IndianTelevisionAcademy.com |publisher=IndianTelevisionAcademy.com |access-date=19 February 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150909212242/http://www.indiantelevisionacademy.com/site/awards_hhita_details_new.php?year=2009 |archive-date=9 September 2015 }}</ref>
|-
| [[Indian Television Academy Awards]]
|[[ITA Award for Best Actress - Comedy|Best Actress - Comedy]]
|
|-
| rowspan="2" | 2010
| [[Gold Awards]]
| Best Comic Actor (Popular)
|<ref>{{cite web |url=https://photogallery.indiatimes.com/awards/awards-and-honours/boro-plus-gold-awards-10/articleshow/6070450.cms |title=Boro Plus Gold Awards '10 |website=The Times of India |access-date=8 April 2019 |archive-date=9 April 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190409234956/https://photogallery.indiatimes.com/awards/awards-and-honours/boro-plus-gold-awards-10/articleshow/6070450.cms |url-status=live }}</ref>
|-
| [[Indian Telly Awards]]
| [[Indian Telly Award for Best Actor in a Comic Role – Female|Best Actor in a Comic Role – Female]] (Popular)
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://tellyawards.indiantelevision.com:80/y2k10/winners.php |title=The Tenth Indian Telly Awards |publisher=Tellyawards.indiantelevision.com |access-date=19 February 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190618104207/http://tellyawards.indiantelevision.com:80/y2k10/winners.php |archive-date=18 June 2019 }}</ref>
|-
|2012
|[[Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards India]]
|Favorite Actress – TV
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Dilip Joshi and Disha Vakani from the TV show Taraka Mehta, at 1st Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards India 2013, held at Filmcity, in Mumbai, on November 14, 2013. |url=https://photogallery.indiatimes.com/yearendershow/25799776.cms |access-date=2024-02-17 |website=photogallery.indiatimes.com}}</ref>
|-
|2014
| rowspan="2" |[[Indian Television Academy Awards]]
| rowspan="2" |[[ITA Award for Best Actress - Comedy|Best Actress - Comedy]]
|<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.indiantelevisionacademy.com/site/awards_hhita_details_new.php?year=2014 |work=Indian Television Academy Awards |title=ITA Awards 2014 Winners |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141107232303/http://www.indiantelevisionacademy.com/site/awards_hhita_details_new.php?year=2014 |archive-date=7 November 2014 |url-status=dead |access-date=31 March 2018}}</ref>
|-
|2015
|-
|2016
| rowspan="2" |[[Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards India]]
|''Favorite Character — TV (Female)''
|<ref>{{cite news |title=Shah Rukh Khan bags Kids' Icon of the year award, Varun Dhawan-Alia Bhatt best pair |url=http://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/bollywood/shah-rukh-khan-bags-kids-icon-of-the-year-award-varun-dhawan-alia-bhatt-best-pair-4413307/ |access-date=15 February 2017 |work=The Indian Express |date=6 December 2016}}</ref>
|-
|2017
|Favorite Actress – TV
|<ref>{{Cite web |title=Nick India Announces Nickelodeon Kid's Choice Awards 2017 India Nominations |url=http://www.nickalive.net/2017/11/nick-india-announces-nickelodeon-kids.html |access-date=17 February 2024 |language=en}}</ref>
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* {{IMDb name|1801750}}
{{Portal bar|Biography|India|Television|Film}}

{{Navboxes
| title = Awards for Disha Vakani
| list =
{{Indian Telly Award Best Comic Actress}}
{{Indian Television Academy Award Best Comic Actress}}

}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vakani, Disha}}
[[Category:1978 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Actresses from Ahmedabad]]
[[Category:Indian film actresses]]
[[Category:Indian television actresses]]
[[Category:Indian soap opera actresses]]
[[Category:Indian stage actresses]]
[[Category:Actresses in Gujarati cinema]]
[[Category:Actresses in Hindi television]]
[[Category:21st-century Indian actresses]]
[[Category:Gujarati actresses]]

Disha Vakani - Revision history

Ansuma Basumatary at 12:43, 19 January 2026