Sparkling spitfireTanuja

Dinesh Raheja

"Aye Guru, tu jab mar jaayega apni library mere naam likh jaana," joked a young Tanuja with Guru Dutt.

She was not to know then how poignant those innocuous words would seem in retrospect during the shooting of Baharein Phir Bhi Aayegi. Almost always bursting with good cheer, the articulate Tanuja was as animated as a wood sprite.

She scored each time she extended her off-screen effervescence to her screen image (Jeene Ki Raah, Jewel Thief, Haathi Mere Saathi).

Like Geeta Bali, the spitfire of the 1950s Tanuja possessed a sunshine smile and saucy attitude. To sadly corroborate the popular adage that history repeats itself, she too had only a handful of roles befitting her immense talent.

When 1940s star Shobhana Samarth decided to launch her daughter Nutan with Hamari Beti (1950), she also gave her younger daughter Tanuja a break as a child actor. The film did not do much for either of Shobhana's betis.

Soon, Tanuja was packed off abroad where she fine-tuned her etiquette and familiarised herself with English, French and German. She returned with only a working knowledge of Hindi but willingly shared screen space with her now famous sister Nutan for their home production Chhabili (1960). This film too failed to provide the wind below Tanuja's wings.

Fortunately, the film also proved to be a slap on the face of her detractors. Playing a street waif, she got her first recognition as a spontaneous actress. But the film did not register on the box-office radar and is remembered only for chanteuse Mubarak Begum's curse-in-verse, Kabhi tanhaiyon mein yun, hamari yaad aayegi ... phir na jee sakoge tum, na tujhko maut aayegi.

The early 1960s saw Tanuja's career stuck in development hell. Her roles were a curious clutch of supporting roles in major films like Aaj Aur Kal (her vivacious character provided a striking personality contrast to a morose Nanda), and Benazir (with Meena Kumari and Ashok Kumar); a role with comedian Mehmood (Bhoot Bangla) and lead parts opposite medium impact newcomers like Dharmendra in Chand Aur Suraj.

When Guru Dutt died, leaving Tanuja's big hope Baharein Phir Bhi Aayegi incomplete, Dharmendra replaced him. Mala Sinha may have had the more dramatic role, but it was Tanuja whom Dharmendra loved and serenaded.

But the big solo hit eluded her. Tanuja's progress was as arduous as any pilgrim's. Her late 1960s roles ranged from good (she sizzled in Jewel Thief), to bad (a go-nowhere role in Hema Malini's debut Sapnon Ka Saudagar), to indifferent (Nai Roshni, Wahan Ke Log, Juari). Creatively, the bright spark was Do Dooni Char co-starring Kishore Kumar. In this adaptation of Shakespeare's Comedy Of Errors, Tanuja displayed formidable comic timing.

It was her unusual pairing with Jeetendra in Jeene Ki Raah (1969) that catapulted Tanuja into stardom. She played a wheelchair-bound rich girl who is spurred to walk after she is smitten by Jeetendra. But, unknown to her, he is already married. Tanuja stayed true to her zingy personality and dried off any excessive melodrama.

In the same year, Tanuja won the Best Supporting Actress Filmfare Award for Paisa Ya Pyar. Tanuja was flooded with films, and some like Pavitra Papi (1970) showcased a more sedate side of the actress.