The daughter of filmmaker Kumarsen Samarth and actress Shobhna Samarth, Tanuja Samarth was a prominent Indian actress. She started her acting career in Bollywood as a child artist with her older sister Nutan in Humari Beti. As an adult, she made her Bollywood debut in the 1960 film Chhabili. She is known for her works in movies like Memdidi (1961), Chand Aur Suraj (1965), Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi (1966), Jewel Thief (1967), Nai Roshni (1967), Jeene Ki Raah (1969), Haathi Mere Saathi (1971), Anubhav (1971), Mere Jeevan Saathi (1972) and Do Chor (1972). In 1973, she married filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee and the couple had two daughters, actresses Kajol and Tanisha.