Tanuja

Tanuja is a female given name of Indian origin, used across Hindi and other Indian languages. It is associated with women in South Asia and among the Indian diaspora.

The most prominent bearer of the name is the Indian film actress Tanuja, born in 1943. She comes from a notable film family, being the daughter of Shobhna Samarth and the sister of Nutan. Tanuja pursued a career in Hindi cinema, appearing in numerous films from the 1960s through the 1980s, in leading and supporting roles. She married Shomu Mukherjee, a film producer and director. One of her public legacies is being the mother of Kajol, a leading Indian actress, linking the Tanuja lineage to several generations of Indian cinema. Throughout her career, Tanuja contributed to the visibility of women in Indian film and continued to act in later years, including appearances on television and in films.

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