Tanuja Samarth, known mononymously as Tanuja, is an Indian actress who predominantly works in the Hindi film industry. Part of the Mukherjee-Samarth family, she is the daughter of actress Shobhna Samarth and producer Kumarsen Samarth, and was married to filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee, with whom she has two daughters, actresses Kajol and Tanisha. A recipient of two Filmfare Awards, Tanuja is best known for her roles in the Hindi and Bengali films like Memdidi (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) and Do Chor (1972). Her pairings with actors Sanjeev Kumar,Uttam Kumar, Rajesh Khanna and Dharmendra were popular in the late 1960s and early 1970s.
Tanuja in 2021
Tanuja with her elder daughter Kajol (left) and younger daughter Tanishaa (right) at actress Esha Deol's wedding reception in 2012.
Shobhana Samarth was an Indian director, actress and producer, who began her career in the early days of talkie movies in the Hindi film industry and continued in lead roles into the 1950s.
Shobhna in the film Rambaan (1948)