Veteran actress Tanuja once shared an interesting throwback story about the first time she saw herself on screen, revealing that she was so unhappy with how she sounded that she wanted to quit acting altogether. Speaking on the popular chat show ‘Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai’, Tanuja recalled the amusing exchange she had with her mother that changed her mind.
Here’s what Tanuja told her mother about her onscreen voice
Recalling the incident on the show, Tanuja had said, “I saw my first rushes and heard my voice on screen for the first time. And my God. It was like…really bad. So, I told my mom that I don’t want to work now because my voice sounds like a rat.” However, her mother tried to calm her down and convince her to continue.
The lemonade deal that changed Tanuja’s mind
Tanuja then decided to negotiate with her mother, asking her, “What will you give me if I decide to act in your film?” When her mother asked what she wanted in return, Tanuja simply asked for lemonade. Explaining her unusual demand, she said, “Because at that time we were not allowed to drink all these bottles. So every time they wanted me to do something, it was one lemonade.”
Tanuja’s journey in Bollywood
Tanuja began her career as a child artist in 1950 with the film ‘Hamari Beti’, where she played the younger version of Nutan in a movie produced by her own mother. She went on to make her debut as an adult actress with ‘Chhabili’ in 1960 and rose to fame a year later with ‘Hamari Yaad Aayegi’ in 1961.Over the years, Tanuja featured in several notable films, including ‘Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi’ (1966), ‘Jewel Thief’ (1967), ‘Jeene Ki Raah’ (1969), ‘Haathi Mere Saathi’ (1971), ‘Anubhav’ (1971), ‘Do Chor’ (1972) and ‘Mere Jeevan Saathi’ (1972), among many others, cementing her legacy as one of Hindi cinema’s finest actresses.