Kush Shah: 16 Years as Goli in TMKOC and the New Chapter That Followed

For sixteen years, Kush Shah showed up to the sets of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah and became Goli. He joined the show in 2008 when he was in fifth grade, and by the time he left in July 2024, he had grown up entirely on screen. Millions of viewers watched that happen in real time. Walking away from a character that defined your entire childhood and adolescence is not a small thing, but Kush did it to pursue something he had been quietly planning for a while. He moved to New York.

Who Is Kush Shah?

Kush Shah is an Indian actor born on July 29, 1997, in Mumbai. He is best known for playing Gulab Kumar “Goli” Hansraj Hathi in the long-running SAB TV sitcom Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah from 2008 to 2024. Goli, the son of Dr. Hansraj Hathi and Komal Hathi, was a member of the beloved Tapu Sena gang and one of the most recognisable characters in the show’s 16-year run.

How Old Is Kush Shah?

Kush Shah is 29 years old as of October 2026. He was born on 29 July 1997 in Mumbai, India.

Background and Early Life

Kush grew up in Mumbai and completed his schooling at Fatima High School. He was passionate about acting from a young age and participated in school plays before his professional break arrived. He later enrolled at K. J. Somaiya Institute of Management but could not continue there due to personal reasons. His entry into TMKOC came when he was spotted as a young child and cast as Goli, a role that would define the next sixteen years of his life.

Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah: 16 Years as Goli

Kush joined Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah in 2008 at the very start of the show, when he was in fifth grade. Produced by Asit Kumar Modi and airing on SAB TV, the show became one of the longest-running sitcoms in Indian television history. Goli, as part of the Tapu Sena, was a fan favourite throughout the show’s run. His comedic timing and chemistry with the ensemble cast kept the character consistently popular with audiences of all ages.

He remained on the show even as several contemporaries from the Tapu Sena, including Jheel Mehta and Nidhi Bhanushali, left to focus on studies. Kush stayed until July 2024, when he announced his farewell in an emotional video on the show’s official YouTube channel. In the video he said he was very young when the show began and thanked producer Asit Kumar Modi for trusting him and making the character of Goli interesting. He said: “He trusted me so much, made my character so interesting and always inspired me. Because of his trust, Kush became Goli today.” He was replaced by actor Dharmit Turakhiya, who took on the role from August 2024.

Beyond the sets, Kush has spoken on podcasts about his years on TMKOC, discussing body positivity, mentorship from senior cast members like Dilip Joshi and Mandar Chandwadkar, and his friendship with Shah Rukh Khan who visited the sets.

Life After TMKOC: New York

After leaving the show, Kush relocated to New York to continue his education and pursue his passion for acting more formally. He has spoken candidly about the adjustment of living independently, describing the experience as a “reality check,” including navigating everyday life far from family and the familiar routines of a long-running show set. No new acting projects have been publicly confirmed as of the time of this article, but his move abroad is understood to be focused on formal acting training.

Is Kush Shah Studying in the USA?

Yes. After leaving Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah in July 2024, Kush Shah moved to New York to continue his education, and Koimoi describes him as pursuing higher studies there. Dharmit Turakhiya took over as Goli from August 2024. In a later interview with Koimoi he said he misses being on the sets, which he calls home, and that the show was always going to carry on without him.

Where Is the Original Tapu Sena Now?

Kush is not the only one of the original Tapu Sena to move on. Pinkvilla reports that Jheel Mehta, the first Sonu, left the show in 2012 for her studies and now runs her own makeup and hair brand, Beauty By Mehta. Koimoi reports that Bhavya Gandhi, the first Tapu, left in 2017 to pursue a film career and has appeared in Gujarati films, and that he is still in touch with both Kush and Jheel. Nidhi Bhanushali, who later played Sonu, has also returned to television in other work, according to Koimoi.

Social Media

Kush is active on Instagram. His official handle is @theekushshah. His following grew significantly over his TMKOC years and continues to hold the audience he built through the show.

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