ETimes BFFs: Do you know that Kajol is half Marathi and has family connections to Ashok Kumar and Ashutosh Gowariker? Tracing the roots of the Mukherjee-Samarth family

The Mukherjee-Samarth family is a prominent Hindu Bengali-Marathi family that has been involved in the Hindi film industry since the 1930s. From the Marathi clan, it all started with Rattan Bai, who was a well known actress and singer in the early 20th century, with films like Rajrani Meera (1933), Bharat Ki Beti (1935) and others. Her daughter Shobhna Samarth, began her career in the early days of talkie movies in the Hindi film industry, and continued in lead roles into the 1950s.Her daughter, Tanuja married Shomu Mukherjee, thus establishing a connection with another prominent family in Bollywood. Shomu's mother, Sati Rani Devi was the only sister of the Ganguly brothers - Anoop Kumar, Ashok Kumar, and Kishore Kumar, who were all significant figures in Bollywood. Let's take a deeper look at the rich lineage of the Mukherjees and Samarths...
The Samarths-Mukerjees
Rattan Bai
Rattan Bai was a talented singer and actress who rose to fame in the 1930s when movies with sound, called "talkies," were introduced. Rattan Bai starred in movies like "Sitara" (1938), "Bhikharan" (1935), and "Bharat Ki Beti" (1935).
Shobhana Samarth (daughter of Rattan Bai)
Rattan Bai's daughter, Shobhana Samarth, was a well known actress, director, and producer. She started her career in the early days of Indian cinema when talkie movies had just begun to take shape. She worked in both Marathi and Hindi films. Shobhana Samarth married Kumarsen Samarth, and together they had three daughters - Nutan, Tanuja, and Chatura - and a son named Jaideep, before the couple parted ways amicably. Shobhana later directed and produced movies that kickstarted the careers of her daughters, Nutan and Tanuja. Nalini Jaywant, Shobhana Samarth's cousin, also appeared in Hindi films during the 1940s and 1950s. Shobhana passed in 2000, at the age of 83.

Nutan (daughter of Shobhana Samarth)
Nutan was a highly revered actress, appearing in over 70 Hindi films during her nearly four-decade-long career. She was known for taking on unconventional roles in movies like "Sujata" (1959), "Bandini" (1963), "Milan" (1967), and "Main Tulsi Tere Aangan Ki" (1978). Nutan married Lieutenant-Commander Rajnish Bahl of the Indian Navy in 1959, and they had a son named Mohnish, born in 1961. Nutan was diagnosed and treated for breast cancer in 1990, but passed away the next year on 21 February 1991.

Mohnish Bahl (son of Nutan)
Mohnish Bahl made his debut in the film "Bekarar" (1983) in a supporting role alongside Padmini Kolhapure and co-starring Sanjay Dutt. However, the film received negative reviews and failed commercially. Following this, he appeared in "Teri Bahon Mein," with Ayesha Dutt, Jackie Shroff's wife, which also did not fare well. His sole commercial success in a leading role came with "Purana Mandir," (1984) although it was categorized as a B-grade film. However, he soon shone in negative roles in movies like Maine Pyar Kiya (1989), and Deewana (1992), before landing the second lead in Sooraj Barjatya's Hum Aapke Hain Koun..! in 1994. It was the 1999 release "Hum Saath-Saath Hain" that is credited with transforming Bahl's career trajectory. With over 100 films to his credit, he is one of the few actors who has shined in both positive and negative roles. He is married to former actress Aarti Bahl, and together they have two children, Pranutan Bahl and Krishaa Bahl. Pranutan too is an actress, and was seen in movies like Notebook and Helmet.

Tanuja (daughter of Shobhana Samarth)
Tanuja, Nutan's sister, worked on more commercially-driven projects and acted in films in various languages, including Hindi and Bengali. She gained fame for her roles in Hindi movies like "Memdidi" (1961), "Chand Aur Suraj" (1965), "Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi" (1966), "Jewel Thief" (1967), and many more. Tanuja married filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee and has two daughters, actresses Kajol and Tanishaa.
Kajol (daughter of Tanuja)
Kajol, the daughter of Tanuja and Shomu Mukherjee, is known as one of the best actors of Indian cinema, proving that the craft runs in her genes. She started her acting journey with the movie "Bekhudi" in 1992. Her big break came with "Baazigar" in 1993, opposite Shah Rukh Khan. She starred in several hit movies like "Karan-Arjun," "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge," and "Kuch Kuch Hota Hai." Kajol's versatile performances in movies like "Gupt: The Hidden Truth" and "Dushman" earned her critical acclaim. Despite taking a break after marriage and children, she made a successful comeback with movies like "Fanaa," "My Name Is Khan," and "Dilwale." Of late, Kajol has been ruling the OTT space, with movies like Lust Stories 2, Tribhanga and shows like The Trial: Pyaar Kaanoon Dhokha. Kajol tied the knot with Ajay Devgn, her co-star in many films, in 1999. They have a daughter named Nysa, and a son named Yug.
Tanishaa Mukerji (daughter of Tanuja)
Tanishaa Mukerji, Kajol's younger sister, has appeared in films like "Neal N Nikki," "Sarkar," and "Tango Charlie." She was also the first runner-up of Bigg Boss 7.

The Mukherjees
Sashadhar Mukherjee
Sashadhar Mukherjee was a notable film producer who began his career with Bombay Talkies in the 1930s. Later, he established Filmistan Studio and his own independent studio, Filmalaya. He was known for producing movies like "Dil Deke Dekho" (1959), "Love in Simla" (1960), "Ek Musafir Ek Hasina" (1962), and "Leader" (1964). Sashadhar was married to Sati Devi, whose brothers - Anoop Kumar, Ashok Kumar, and Kishore Kumar - were also part of the film industry. Sashadhar got married to Sati Devi as a teenager, and had six children - four sons and two daughters, namely Rono Mukherjee, Joy Mukherjee, Deb Mukherjee, Shomu Mukherjee, Shibani Maulik and Shubir Mukherjee. Sashadhar Mukherjee's elder brother was Ravindramohan Mukherjee, who had no direct contact with the industry, but whose granddaughter is the successful actress Rani Mukerji.

Joy Mukherjee (son of Sashadhar Mukherjee)
Joy Mukherjee, Sashadhar Mukherjee's son, made his debut opposite Sadhana in the film "Love in Simla" (1960). He went on to star in several successful movies alongside Asha Parekh, such as "Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon," "Love in Tokyo," "Ziddi," and "Hum Hindustani." Joy later directed Rajesh Khanna in "Chailla Babu" in 1977, which was a major box office hit. He was married to Neelam and had two sons named Monjoy (also known as Toy), Sujoy (also known as Boy), and a daughter named Simran. He died at the age of 73 in 2012.

Deb Mukherjee (son of Sashadhar Mukherjee)
Deb Mukherjee is an Indian actor. His daughter Sunita (from his first marriage) is married to director Ashutosh Gowariker, while his son (from his second marriage) is director Ayan Mukerji.
Ayan Mukerji (son of Deb Mukherjee)
Ayan Mukerji, the son of Bengali film actor Deb Mukherjee, began his career as an assistant director on the film "Swades" in 2004. He made his directorial debut with "Wake Up Sid" in 2009, which was not only immensely loved, but also became a cult classic, followed by the highly successful "Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani" in 2013. Ayan's last movie Brahmāstra: Part One – Shiva, starring real-life couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt, was one of the biggest movies post the pandemic in 2022.

Ram Mukerji (son of Ravindramohan Mukherjee)
Ram Mukerji, son of Ravindramohan Mukherjee, was a filmmaker in Hindi and Bengali cinema. He co-founded Filmalaya Studios in Mumbai and is best known for directing and producing movies like "Hum Hindustani" (1960) and "Leader" (1964), starring Dilip Kumar and Vyjayanthimala. Ram's wife, Krishna Mukherjee, was a playback singer and the sister of Bengali actress Debashri Roy. He directed and produced his daughter Rani Mukerji's film debut, "Biyer Phool," in 1996 (Bengali) and produced her Hindi film debut, "Raja Ki Aayegi Baraat," in 1997. He died at the age of 84 in 2017.

Rani Mukerji (daughter of Ram Mukerji)
Rani Mukerji, daughter of Ram Mukerji, gained fame despite a slow start in the industry, and today, is known as one of the best performers in the industry. Post her lukewarm debut in Raja Ki Aayegi Baaraat (1997), she landed the plum second lead in Karan Johar's directorial debut Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, (1998) and held her own in the presence of stalwarts like Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol. Success soon followed, and her role in "Saathiya" in 2002, marked a turning point in her career, leading to successful films like "Chalte Chalte," "Hum Tum," and "Veer-Zaara." Rani took on challenging roles in movies like "Black", "No One Killed Jessica," "Talaash: The Answer Lies Within," and "Mardaani" series. She recently made a comeback to acting with her author backed role in Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway. She tied the knot with filmmaker Aditya Chopra in April 2014, and welcomed her daughter Adira the next year.

Sharbani Mukherjee (daughter of Rono Mukherjee)
Sharbani Mukherjee, the daughter of Rono Mukherjee, made her debut in the film "Border", (1997), directed by J. P. Dutta. She is best known for her appearance opposite Samir Soni in the song "Ghar Aaja Soneya" sung by Shazia Mansoor. Additionally, she has acted in several Malayalam films. Her brother Samrat Mukerji is also an actor.