Remembering Taarak Mehta's... Dr Hathi aka Kavi Kumar Azad: Sonalika Joshi gets teary-eyed and Disha Vakani calls him a foodie in this throwback interview

Actor Kavi Kumar Azad, who was fondly remembered for playing Dr. Hansraj Hathi in the Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah, passed away in 2018. The actor reportedly suffered from a cardiac arrest. Azad’s performance in the show was hugely appreciated by everyone, and his sudden death came as a shock for everyone. Later, actor Nirmal Soni replaced him in the show. On his death anniversary today (July 9), a look at a throwback interview of the Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah cast remembering him.

Everyday we think about him. We always feel that probably he is not shooting today or his dates are not available. None of us can believe that he is not there and won't return. It is very difficult to believe that he will never return on the sets of Taarak Mehta Ka Ooltah Chashmah. It has not sunk in yet.

He was one of the finest people around. He was exactly the same as shown on-screen. He loved food and loved to eat and feed everyone. I remember how he had specially got gulab jamuns for me during my pregnancy. It's so shocking even more because he was all fine.

He would always ask me, Madhvi ji Paratha khayenge...but I would be on diet so I would refuse. Four days ago, before he passed away he had again asked me Madhavi ji, will you have paratha and this time I said yes. I don't know why but I felt I should have it. I would always say thank you (gets emotional). We will always miss him.

My mornings would begin with Kavi Kumar Azad. He would step out of the car and would ask what I have got in the lunch box today. He would greet me later and ask about my lunch box first. Whenever he learnt that I had got dal chawal, he would get happy. He loved dal chawal. He would get pickle for me. We bonded over food. We would get food for each other. I miss his voice on the sets. It is unbelievable. He was a very good human being.

Azad was a person who was actually a kid from inside. He was very mischievous and always did what he liked. He loved food and he had actually lived life to the fullest. Whatever, he wanted to do in life, he had achieved it. His scenes were all completed, all his close ups were done. He liked playing with Jennifer's daughter, he got to meet and spend time with her. On 7th of July, we celebrated our birthday and he always wanted to speak to Dilkhush who played Roshan's character in between. He would ask me how is Dilkhush as I am still in touch with her and on my birthday, he got to talk to her also. He finished his role in real and reel life before leaving this world. I think God wanted a small kid to play and he called Azad.

Two days before, he passed away he gave us a treat and ordered evening snacks for all of us. We had an amazing time. We are not able to believe the news that he is not with us anymore.

His room where he would be in and sit alone, is now locked. Whenever I go towards that room, a flush of thoughts come to my mind. I don't know how to describe.

I have done most of the scenes with him because I played his son. I feel he has lived his life to the fullest. I am sure wherever he is today, he would be enjoying even now.

He always asked me to get Jain food for him. That had become a kind of routine for me. We are definitely going to miss him always.