| Tanuja Mukherjee | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 23, 1943 Chembur Mumbai, Maharashtra, India |
| Occupation | Film actress |
| Years active | 1962–1975, 2002–2003 |
| Spouse | Shomu Mukherjee (m.1973-2008, his death; 2 children) |
| Children | Kajol (b.1974) Tanisha (b.1978) |
Tanuja Mukherjee (Marathi: तनुजा समर्थ) (23 September 1943), popularly known as Tanuja, is an Indian film actress. She is the mother of Kajol and Tanisha, and is most remembered for her roles in Hindi films like Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966), Jewel Thief, Haathi Mere Saathi (1971), and Anubhav (1971). Simultaneously she appeared in Marathi, Bengali and Gujarati films like, Zaakol (Marathi), Antony Phiringee (Bengali), Deya Neya, Teen Bhuvaner Parey (1969), Prothom Kadam Phool, and Rajkumari.[1]
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Tanuja was born in Mumbai into a Marathi family of four children as Tanuja Samarth to poet Kumarsen Samarth and his wife Shobhna Samarth. Her mother was a famous 1930s and 1940s actress and her father was a poet and film director. When she was very young her parents separated. Tanuja entered films as a child actress and continued working until 1973. Tanuja's eldest sister was the famous Bollywood actress, Nutan. Tanuja's sister Chatura did not enter Bollywood.
Tanuja was married to Shomu Mukherjee (1943–2008) from 1973 to 2008. He died on April 10, 2008 from a heart attack aged 64. The spouses were separated at the time of his death but had not divorced. They have two daughters: Kajol (b. 1974) and Tanisha (b. 1978).
She started her film career with her older sister Nutan in Hamari Beti (1950) as Baby Tanuja. As an adult, she debuted in the film Chhabili (1960) which was directed by her mother and had her sister, Nutan, in the lead. The film that truly marked her transition into adult heroine came with Hamari Yaad Aayegi (1961), directed by Kidar Sharma, who had earlier discovered Raj Kapoor, Madhubala and Geeta Bali. In time, Tanuja stepped into the headstrong young woman niche created so ably by Geeta Bali in the 1950s.
One of her early films, noticeable for her acting, was Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966), directed by Shaheed Latif. Incidentally it was Guru Dutt team's last offering, especially visible in the song, "Woh Hanske Mile Humse" (believed to have been picturized while Guru Dutt was still alive) who worked hard to help her "tone down" her performance. The result was that the natural, spontaneous performer gave a highly restrained performance which became the highlight of the film — as well of her career — as she moved to lead roles soon after.[2] Her next big film was with Jeetendra, Jeene Ki Raah (1969), an immediate and surprise hit. In the same year, Tanuja won the Best Supporting Actress Filmfare Award for Paisa Ya Pyar. After the success of Haathi Mere Saathi (1971), she acted in Door Ka Raahi, Mere jeevan Saathi, Do Chor and Ek Baar Muskara Do (1972), Kaam Chor, Yaarana, Khuddar, and Masoom. Some of the other films she has acted in are Pavitra Paapi, Bhoot Bangla, and Anubhav.
During the mid 1960s Tanuja started a parallel career in Bengali movies in Kolkata starting with Deya Neya (1963) where she was paired opposite the stalwart of Bengali cinema, Uttam Kumar. She followed it up with memorable hits like Anthony-Firingee (1967) and Rajkumari (1970). Tanuja had fantastic on-screen chemistry with the then-superstar Soumitra Chatterjee with whom she made some huge box office hits like Teen Bhuvaner Parey (1969) and Prothom Kadam Phool. Tanuja spoke her own lines in these Bengali films.
Afterward, Tanuja retired from films for a number of years but came back when her marriage ended. She was now offered supporting roles often starring former heroes. Her Pyar Ki Kahani hero Amitabh Bachchan had to call her "bhabhi" (sister-in-law) in Khuddar (1982). She also played a supporting role in Raj Kapoor's Prem Rog (1982).
She has recently appeared in such films as Saathiya (2002), Rules (2003), and Khakee (2003) as a supporting actress.
In 2008, Tanuja starred as a judge along with Kajol and Ajay Devgan on Zee TV's family dance series Rock and Roll Family.
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