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Tanuja

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Tanuja
Tanuja in 2021
Born
Tanuja Samarth

(1943-09-23)23 September 1943(age 80)[1]
Bombay,Bombay Presidency,British India(present-dayMumbai,Maharashtra,India)
OccupationActress
Years active1952–present
Spouse
​
​
(m.1973; died 2008)​
ChildrenKajolandTanisha
Parents
FamilyMukherjee-Samarth family

Tanuja Mukherjee(néeSamarth;born 23 September 1943) known mononymously asTanujais an Indian actress who predominantly works in theHindi film industry.Part of theMukherjee-Samarth family,she is the daughter of actressShobhna Samarthand producerKumarsen Samarth,and was married to filmmakerShomu Mukherjee,with whom she has two daughters, actressesKajolandTanisha.[2]A recipient of twoFilmfare Awards,Tanuja is best known for her roles in the Hindi and Bengali films likeMemdidi(1961),Deya Neya(1963),Chand Aur Suraj(1965),Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi(1966),Jewel Thief(1967),Nai Roshni(1967),Antony Firingee (film)(1967),Pratham Kadam Phool(1969),Teen Bhubaner Pare(1969),Jeene Ki Raah(1969),Rajkumari(1970),Haathi Mere Saathi(1971),Anubhav(1971),Mere Jeevan Saathi(1972) andDo Chor(1972).[3][4]Her pairings with actorsSanjeev Kumar,Uttam Kumar,Rajesh KhannaandDharmendrawere popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Personal life

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See also:Mukherjee-Samarth family
Kajol and Tanuja with their mother Tanuja.
Tanuja with her elder daughterKajol(left) and younger daughterTanishaa(right) at actressEsha Deol's wedding reception in 2012.[5]

Tanuja was born in aMarathifamily to filmmakerKumarsen Samarthand actressShobhna Samarth.She has three sisters, including actressNutanand one brother. Her grandmother,Rattan Bai,and cousinNalini Jaywantwere also actresses. Tanuja's parents parted amicably while she was still a child, and Shobhana became linked to actorMotilal.Shobhana produced debut films for Tanuja and her older sister, Nutan. Her two other sisters are; Chatura, an artist, and Reshma, and her brother is Jaideep, none of whom took to acting.

Tanuja married filmmakerShomu Mukherjeein 1973. The couple has two daughters, actressesKajolandTanisha.Kajol is married to actorAjay Devgan.Shomu died on 10 April 2008 from a heart attack, aged 64. FilmmakersJoy,DebandRamare her brothers-in-law. She is the aunt of actorsMohnish Behl,Rani,andSharbani,and directorAyan Mukherjee.

Career

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She started her film career with her older sisterNutaninHamari Beti(1950) as Baby Tanuja. As an adult, she debuted in the filmChhabili(1960) which was directed by her mother, and had her sister Nutan, in the lead. The film that truly marked her transition to adult heroine wasHamari Yaad Aayegi(1961), directed by Kidar Sharma, who had earlier discoveredRaj Kapoor,MadhubalaandGeeta Bali.

One of her early films noted for her acting wasBaharen Phir Bhi Aayengi(1966), directed byShaheed Latif.Incidentally, it wasGuru Dutt team's last offering, especially visible in the song "Woh Hanske Mile Humse" (believed to have been picturised whileGuru Duttwas 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.[citation needed]Tanuja received her first nomination for theFilmfare Award for Best Supporting Actressfor her performance in the spy filmJewel Thief(1967). Her next film wasIzzat(1968) withDharmendra.This was followed by a film withJeetendra;Jeene Ki Raah(1969), an immediate and surprise hit. In the same year, she won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actress forPaisa Ya Pyaar.After the success ofHaathi Mere Saathi(1971), she acted inDoor Ka Raahi,Mere Jeevan Saathi,Do ChorandEk Baar Mooskura Do(1972),Kaam Chor,Yaarana,Khuddar,andMasoom.Some of the other films she has acted in arePavitra Paapi,Bhoot Bangla,andAnubhav.Some of her Marathi films areZaakol,Unad MainaandPitruroon.

During the mid-1960s, Tanuja started a parallel career inBengali moviesin Kolkata, starting withDeya Neya(1963), where she was paired oppositeUttam Kumar.She followed it up withAnthony-Firingee(1967) andRajkumari(1970). Tanuja had on-screen chemistry withSoumitra Chatterjee,with whom she made some films such asTeen Bhuvaner Parey(1969) andProthom Kadam Phool.Tanuja spoke her own lines in these Bengali films.

Afterwards, 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. HerPyar Ki KahaniheroAmitabh Bachchanhad to call her "bhabhi" (sister-in-law) inKhuddar(1982). She also played a supporting role inRaj Kapoor'sPrem Rog(1982). In 1986, she received an invitation fromSri Lankato appear in theSinhalese filmPeralikarayoopposite toVijaya Kumaratungawhere she played the main role.[6]

She then appeared in films such asSaathiya(2002),Rules: Pyaar Ka Superhit Formula(2003), andKhakee(2003) as a supporting actress. In 2008, Tanuja starred as a judge along with her daughter, Kajol, and son-in-law, Ajay Devgan onZee TV's family dance seriesRock-N-Roll Family.In 2013, Tanuja played a widow in the Marathi filmPitruroonmade byNitish Bharadwaj.For her role as a widow, Tanuja has tonsured her head to make her character look authentic.

Awards and nominations

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Filmography

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Television

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References

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  1. ^"Tanuja".The Times of India.Retrieved19 March2019.
  2. ^"Tanishaa Mukerji reveals how her 'amazing' family feels about her being unmarried at 43".Hindustan Times.18 July 2021.Retrieved24 October2021.
  3. ^"Do Chor (1972)".The Hindu.2 December 2016.ISSN0971-751X.Retrieved16 February2022.
  4. ^"Archived copy".Archived fromthe originalon 21 January 2011.Retrieved2011-02-06.{{cite web}}:CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^Singh, Raghuvendra (22 August 2018)."Just in! Kajol may star in this person's biopic".Filmfare.Retrieved8 February2022.
  6. ^"Kajal has no visa".Sarasaviya.Retrieved18 March2021.
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