Veteran actress Tanuja turns 83 on September 23, and her career remains filled with stories that reveal just how unconventional and outspoken she was away from the screen. From slapping Dharmendra after he allegedly tried to flirt with her to considering quitting acting after hearing her own voice, Tanuja has shared several unusual anecdotes from her journey in Hindi and Bengali cinema.
The actress, who began working as a child artist and later became known for films such as Jewel Thief, Haathi Mere Saathi, Anubhav and Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi, came from one of Indian cinema’s most prominent film families. But her own career was anything but predictable.
Here are five lesser-known stories from Tanuja’s life and career.
Tanuja Once Slapped Dharmendra For Trying To Flirt With Her
One of the most talked-about stories involving Tanuja concerns her friendship with Dharmendra. The two actors were working together on Dulal Guha’s Chand Aur Suraj and, according to Tanuja’s account, had become drinking buddies. She had also met Dharmendra’s first wife, Prakash Kaur, and knew his family.
Tanuja recalled that Dharmendra once tried to flirt with her on the sets. She was taken aback and slapped him, calling him “besharam” because she knew his wife. According to her account, Dharmendra apologised and then asked her to make him her brother. After initially refusing, Tanuja eventually tied a black thread around his wrist. The unusual incident later became one of the most memorable stories from their friendship.
Tanuja Wanted To Quit Acting After Hearing Her Own Voice
Tanuja’s journey into acting was not always smooth. One of her earliest experiences with being on screen left her so uncomfortable that she considered giving up acting. According to a recent report recounting her old anecdote, Tanuja was upset after hearing her own voice on screen for the first time. She reportedly felt that her voice sounded “like a rat” and began thinking about leaving the profession.
Her mother, actress Shobhna Samarth, tried to convince her not to give up. The two reportedly even struck an unusual deal involving lemonade in exchange for Tanuja continuing with acting. The young actress eventually stayed on and went on to build a career spanning decades.
A Director Once Slapped Tanuja Because She Would Not Cry
Another startling incident happened during the making of Hamari Yaad Aayegi in 1961. Tanuja was supposed to cry during a scene but, according to her later recollection, she kept laughing instead. Director Kidar Sharma became frustrated when she told him that she was not in the mood to cry and slapped her.
Tanuja left the set crying and complained to her mother. But Shobhna’s response was unexpected. After hearing what had happened, she reportedly slapped Tanuja herself, took her back to the set and told Sharma that she was now crying and he could continue shooting. Interestingly, Tanuja later credited Sharma with helping her learn how to face the camera and speak Hindi properly.
Tanuja And Shomu Mukherjee Separated But Stayed United For Their Daughters
Tanuja married filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee in 1973 after meeting him on the sets of Ek Baar Muskura Do. The couple had two daughters, Kajol and Tanishaa Mukerji, but their marriage eventually fell apart and they chose to live separately. Tanuja later spoke openly about the relationship, saying that she and Shomu were not meant to be together. However, the couple made an effort to keep their differences away from their daughters.
She said they never argued in front of Kajol and Tanishaa and continued to meet them as parents even after the separation. The relationship therefore became another unusual chapter in Tanuja’s personal life, a marriage that ended in separation but did not stop both parents from maintaining their connection with their children.
Tanuja Never Saw Her Hindi Career As A Typical Success Story
Despite becoming a familiar face in Hindi cinema, Tanuja herself once took a surprisingly modest view of her Bollywood career. In an older interview, she said that her Hindi film career was “never too hot” and suggested that she found greater satisfaction in Bengali cinema. She had entered Bengali films with Deya Neya opposite Uttam Kumar in 1962, and the experience gave her a different kind of recognition.
Her Hindi filmography, however, includes several enduring titles, including Jewel Thief, Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi, Haathi Mere Saathi, Anubhav, Mere Jeevan Saathi and Masoom. Tanuja later received the Filmfare Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014, adding one of the industry’s major lifetime honours to a career that had already crossed several decades.
Tanuja’s Legacy Goes Beyond Bollywood
From her early days as a child artist to her celebrated performances across Hindi and Bengali cinema, Tanuja built a reputation for her spontaneous screen presence and outspoken personality. She also became part of one of Indian cinema’s best-known families. Her elder sister was legendary actress Nutan, while daughters Kajol and Tanishaa followed her into films.
But it is the stories from behind the scenes, the confrontation with Dharmendra, her early doubts about her own voice, the incident with Kidar Sharma and the candid way she spoke about her marriage and career that offer a more revealing picture of the actress.
On her 83rd birthday, these anecdotes show why Tanuja’s personality off screen was every bit as distinctive as the characters she played on it.