Tanuja's success in bollywood films and bengali films.

Tanuja’s success in bollywood films and Bengali films.

Tanuja, the sister of dignified actress Nutan and the daughter of Sobhna Samarth created a unique place in bollywood films and Bengali films. Being the member of a family having legacy of contributing a lot in bollywood films, she had to face acid test.

In the 60s, when bollywood industry was flooded with talented actresses, Tanuja stepped in bollywood films. She had faced Meena Kumari, Madhubala, Wahida Rehman, Sadhna, Vaijayantimala and other classic actresses and yet created her identity in that age.

Tanuja’s prominent films in the 60s include Baharen Phir Bhi Ayegi, with Dharmender, Memdidi, Sapno Ka Saudagar, opposite Raj Kapoor, etc. Within 3 to 4 years, she was cast opposite leading actors of bollywood films. Her performance opposite Dev Anand, in the film Jewel Thief was appreciated by film-lovers.

Jewel Thief was crime-thriller director by Vijay Anand. Tanuja’s innocence in the film and spontaneous presence impressed the viewers. Besides Tanuja’s lips in Ahsa Bhosle’s song “raat nashili hai” was very impressive.

In the early 70s, Tanuja switched on to serious films like Basu Bhattacharya’s Anubhav opposite Sanjeev Kumar. Her lips in Geeta Dutt’s song “mera dil jo mera hota” and other songs showed the acting class of Tanuja. She did even better in Dharmender’s film Izzat. Dharmender had double role with one son being the illegitimate child of Balraj Sahani. Her performance in the song “loote dil pe diya jalta nahi hum kya Karen” sung by Lata and Rafi made viewers spellbound. She was equally impressive in the film Pabitra Papi.

Tanuja was involved in super hit films like Haathi Mera Saathi opposite Rajesh Khanna, Mere Jeevan Saathi opposite Rajesh Khanna, Ek Paheli, opposite Feroz Khan, to name a few.

In respect of Bengali films, Tanuja showed a great spirit in adapting Bengali language and adjusting herself opposite Uttam Kumar in the 60s and 70s. Deya Neya, Anthony Firingi and Raj Kumari stands out as the biggest hits of Tanuja opposite Uttam Kumar. All these films were musical blockbusters and the lips of Tanuja in leading songs in these films require special mention.

Shyamal Mitra composed music for the super hit film Deya Neya. Tanuja was sublime in her lips in the song “madhabi madhute holo mitali”. She was brilliant in the two songs of Sandhya Mukherjee in the film Anthony Firingi, titled “ami je jalsaghare”, and “champa chameli golapero bage”, composed by Anil Bagchi. Raj Kumari marked the beginning of musical career of Bengali musical sensation RD Burman. Songs like “ki holo, kabe holo” creates shivers in the spines of many listeners even today.

Tajuna was sublime in other successful films like Prothom Kodom Phool, Teen Bhubaner Pare, Madhuban, etc. She is considered more versatile than her daughter Kajol who got success by performing opposite Shahrukh Khan in hit films in the 90s. The viewers expect her to continue the great work in character roles in bollywood films in future.

Review of Bengali film Deya Neya.

Review of Bengali film Deya Neya.

Deya Neya stands out as Uttam Kumar’s one of the biggest hit films in his career. The film was released in 1963. The story was related to the life of a talented singer whose father, being an industrialist never wanted his son to pursue his musical career.

Kamal Mitra played the role of the father of Uttam Kumar in the film. Uttam Kumar left his father’s home in Lucknow and returned to Kolkata. He was known by the outside world with the identity Abhijit Choudhury, a successful singer. He came to Kolkata and worked as driver cum mechanic in Pahari Sanyal’s house. Tanuja was the relative of Pahari Sanyal and interacted with Uttam Kumar in relation to the cars they had.

Although Uttam Kumar was known with the identity Abhijit Choudhury, he never performed in public function, so his face was unknown to the listeners. Tanuja and her friend Sumita Sanyal were also fans of Abhijit Choudhury, but both of them could not recognize Uttam Kumar. Uttam Kumar took shelter in Tarun Kumar’s house, a friend of him and Lili Chakravarty, his wife attended Uttam Kumar like his own brother’s wife.

As the lyricist of Uttam Kumar’s songs played by Premangshu, was suffering from serious sickness, Uttam Kumar organized a musical program at the end of the film and appeared before the crowd in a charity show. His identity was revealed and Kamal Mitra, his father took him back after marrying Tanuja.

The music of the film was extraordinary. Shyamal Mitra’ s composition touched the hearts of millions of music lovers all across the country. Shaymal Mitra’s own songs “jiban khatar proti patay”, “ami cheye cheye dekhi saradin”, “ganer bhubon bhariye debo”, made the viewers speechless. The duet song “dole dodul dole jhulona” sung by Manobendra Mukherjee and Shyamal Mitra stands out as one of the greatest duet songs of the last 50 years.
Deya Neya was remade in hindi with the title Anurodh. Rajesh Khanna, Vinod Mehra and Simple Kapadia had the lead roles. But they miserably failed to level the standard of excellence attained by Uttam Kumar in Deya Neya.

Deya Neya should be preserved for the young generations who had not seen the romantic andaz of Uttam Kumar during the golden age of Bengali cinema, that is the 50s and 60s.

Tanuja and Uttam Kumar.

Tanuja and Uttam Kumar

Tanuja, the younger sister of Nutan had a good box-office in Bengali films and had contributed well opposite Uttam Kumar, the superstar of Bengali film industry in the 60s and 70s. Her films opposite Uttam Kumar were all successful and became landmark hits during that age.

Uttam Kumar played the role of renowned singer in the film Deya Neya, who left his house as his father Kamal Mitra, a big industrialist did not accept his musical career. Uttam Kumar worked as the driver in Tanuja’s house and went on singing in All India Radio. The truth relating to Uttam Kumar’s identity was unearthed when he sang in a public function for the cause of his sick friend who had written the lyrics of Shyamal Mitra’s song “ganer bhuban bhariye debo”. Shyamal Mitra and Manobendra Mukherjee’s song “dole dodul dole jhulona” became superduper hit in 1963. Tanuja complimented Uttam Kumar’s romantic image in the film with her carefree acting. The film was remade in hindi with the title Anurodh where Rajesh Khanna played Uttam Kumar’s role and simple Kapadia played the role of the leading actress in the film.

In Antony Firingi, Tanuja played the role of successful singer from who Uttam Kumar being a Christian learnt singing and reproduced Manna Dey’s songs like “ami je jalsaghare”, “ami jamini tumi shashi he”, etc. He married Tanuja and arranged for puja for Goddess Kali. Unfortunately the orthodox hindus could not accept that and they burnt Tanuja at the end of the film. Uttam Kumar got National Award for best performance in Antony Firingi and Chiriakhana. He gave excellent lips in Manna Deys’s songs like “champa chameli” which were some of the best songs Manna Dey had sung in his life.

Both Tanuja and Uttam Kumar complimented each other in the film Raj Kumari, which was a romantic film. The romantic songs were composed by RD Burman. Kishore Kumar’s song “e ki holo” became extremely successful and RD Burman made the remake of the songs in hindi which were also successful.


Uttam Kumar’s existence in Bengali films had drawn many leading actress from bollywood films in Bengali including Tanuja, Mala Sinha, Moushumi Chatterji, etc., and all their films had been extremely successful. These films should be restored and preserved.

Tanuja – the charming actress of bollywood.

Tanuja – the charming actress of bollywood.

Tanuja, the sister of Nutan, daughter of Shobhna Samarth and mother of Kajol, had inherent acting talent. She impressed the viewers with her performance in the film Sapno ka Saudagar, opposite Raj Kapoor, where Hema Malini was the main actress. Raj Kapoor used to provide illusions about the betterment of life to everyone which included Tanuja, too. She had also done well in the film Baharen Phir bhi Ayegi opposite Dharmender.

In Jewel Thief, opposite Dev Anand, in 1967, she played the role of the daughter of the trader of jewellery, not knowing that her father had conspired with the jewel thief played by Ashok Kumar to trap Dev Anand in the false charge. She had given elegant lips in Asha Bhosle song, composed by SD Burman titled “raat nashili hai”. She was very enthusiastic by nature and that was evident in her role in Hathi Mera Sathi, opposite Rajesh Khanna, where the credit of the success of the film ultimately went to the elephant who was loyal to the family and did overt acts.

Tanuja had been very successful in the Bengali films that she did opposite Uttam Kumar including Antony Firingi and Deya Neya. In Antony Firingi, she played the role of the wife of a Christian who devoted his life for singing religious songs for Goddess Kali and Tanuja was a Hindu girl who married this person and specialising in the type of song. As the orthodox society could not accept the liberal attitude of Tanuja they burnt her house and she died at the end of the film. It was very successful film and Uttam Kumar even won the national award of best actor for his performance in that particular year.

Tanuja had acted in hit films one after the other including Mere Jeevan Saathi, opposite Rajesh Khanna, Anubhav opposite Sanjeev Kumar, Jeene ki raah, opposite Jeetender, etc. In Izzat, opposite Dharmender, she had an affair with a lower caste person, whose father was Balraj Sahani, a respectable person in society. The film showed that the society only creates barriers, where people from the upper caste sometimes also indulge in shameful activities. Tanuja gave adequate lips in the song “yeh dil tum bin lagta nahi” composed by Laxmikant Pyarella and sung by Lata and Rafi. She also acted in the role of a ghost in the film Ek Paheli, opposite Firoz Khan. She acted in a number of character roles over the years and showed her talent in those roles also. Her acting talents were inherited by Kajol who became successful actress of the 90s. Viewers expect Tanuja to continue acting in significant roles in the years to come.

By: Supriya Chatterji.