Happy Birthday Tanuja: The veteran actress started working at a young age to support her family

New Delhi: Actress Tanuja Mukherjee, one of the iconic actresses of her era, is celebrating her birthday today. The introduction of Tanuja today is that she is the mother of actress Kajol but, she herself has given some amazing performances on the big screen in her time.

Tanuja's mother Shobhana Samarth was also an actress and her father was producer Kumarsen Samarth. The actress married filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee and has two daughters Kajol and Tanishaa.

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Tanishaa Mukerji (@tanishaamukerji)

Bollywood actress Tanuja has been active in the film industry for many decades. She is known for her ability and her flirtation was seen in films. Let us tell you that Tanuja was born on 23 September 1943. Very few people know that the actress entered films as a child artist. She appeared in her sister Nutan's film Hamari Beti (1950).

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Kajol Devgan (@kajol)

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Kajol Devgan (@kajol)

Tanuja had to debut as an actress at the age of 16 due to the financial condition of her family. At that time, she was studying at St. George's School in Switzerland. 

Tanuja was first educated at St. Joseph's Boarding School in Panchgani and after that, she was sent to Switzerland by her mother because the actress was very fond of languages. At the same time, Tanuja became friends with Sabiha Pataudi, sister of Tiger Pataudi (Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi). 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Tanishaa Mukerji (@tanishaamukerji)

However, the financial condition of Tanuja's house was not good and she had to return back home. The mother told her that she could either celebrate it or work in Hindi cinema, and Tanuja chose the films. In 1960, at 16, her first film 'Chhabili' was released. This was followed by 'Memdidi' in 1962. Tanuja has also done many Bengali movies and her name is also taken as one of the bold actresses of Bollywood.

One of her anecdotes during Tanuja's debut film 'Chhabili' is quite famous. The actress had to cry in one scene of the film but she was laughing again and again. Tanuja told Kedar Sharma, today I am not in the mood to cry. Angered by this, Kedar Sharma gave a slap to Tanuja. Seeing this the whole team was stunned. The hero of this film, Raj Kapoor moved out slowly and the actress was so angered that the entire set was scared. 

 

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Kajol Devgan (@kajol)

She went crying to her mother Shobhana to complain about Kedar Sharma. When Tanuja told the whole thing, even her mother slapped her on the contrary. Because she was well aware of her daughter's behavior. Shobhana took Tanuja back to the set and told Kedar Sharma that she is crying now, start shooting, after this Tanuja gave a perfect shot. 

Kedar Sharma was considered one of the angry directors of that time. He had slapped many superstars before Tanuja. Well, this slap took Tanuja to the heights.