Shomu Mukherjee

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Shomu Mukherjee was born on June 19, 1943, at Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, India. He was born to Sashadhar Mukherjee, popularly Known as S. Mukherjee. His mother name was Sati Devi. His father was Indian Film Industry's famous film producer and gave several hit films like Dil Deke Dekho (1959), Love in Simla (1960), Ek Musafir Ek Hasina (1962), Leader (1964), etc. Since father S. Mukherjee was a well-established filmmaker and the family owned Filmalaya studio in Mumbai hence most of his children joined cinema. While his 2 sons Joy Mukherjee (Love In Tokyo) and Deb Mukherjee (Ek Baar Muskura Do) became actor, Shomu Mukherjee was good at writing and creativity. Hence he took writing and film direction.

Shomu Mukherjee and Tanuja came together during the making of Ek Baar Muskura Do the debut film of Shomu Mukherjee. The film was written and produced by Shomu Mukherjee. During the making of the film, Shomu and Tanuja became intimate. Fortunately, Ek Baar Muskura Do turn out to be a super hit. There was jubilation all around and taking advantage of the jubilation Shomu Mukherjee and Tanuja announced their marriage. 

After marriage, the couple gave birth to 2 daughters Kajol and Tanisha. Tanuja did not quit films and this resulted in family brawls. Further, the diverse opinions of the couple added fuel to the soured relationship. The two mutually agreed to maintain a distance and started living at separate dwellings; viz Shomu Mukherjee at his family house, Grotto Villa and Tanuja at Usha Kiran apartment with her daughters. However, the couple raised their two daughters together and annually met them at their boarding schools together. This played a key role in making a room for Shomu Mukherjee in the hearts of his 2 daughters. Both his daughters were close to him.

1970

Shomu Mukherjee's debut film Ek Baar Muskura Do was a hit

Like father, like son goes a famous English axiom. Thus like his renowned father S.Mukherjee, Shomu Mukherjee started his filmy career as a producer cum writer with the film Ek Baar Muskura Do. The film was a soul-string love triangle. The major highlight of the film was the superlative music by O.P.Nayyar. All the songs of the film were a huge hit like Tu Auron Ki Kyon Ho Gayi……. Chehre Se Zaraa Aanchal……… Roop Tera Aisa……..Zamane Ki Aankhon Ne….and of courses the biggest hit was the title song Ek Baar Muskura Do………

As per the family tradition, the film had family members. The film had his two brothers – famous stars Joy Mukherjee and Deb Mukherjee in lead roles. The film was directed by Shomu Mukherjee's uncle Ram Mukherjee (elder brother of Shomu Mukherjee's father S. Mukherjee's). Another interesting thing about the film was that it had actress Tanuja along with real-life mother Shobhna Samarth!! Thus in nutshell, the film was made within the family as soon, Tanuja became the daughter-in-law of S. Mukherjee family.

 Shomu Mukherjee failed to reap the success of 'Ek Baar Muskura Do'

The stupendous success of 'Ek Baar Muskura Do' boosted the confidence of Shomu Mukherjee hence he hurriedly decided to direct his next film Nannha Shikari. The film was inspired by Rajesh Khanna's super hit film Hathi Mere Sathi (1971).

The film had many adventurous jungle scenes and wild animals. The film was written brilliantly by Shomu but his father S. Mukherjee doubted his mastery in handling direction. Hence he cautioned him to continue the film’s direction by his uncle Ram Mukherjee but young Shomu was overexcited and his excitement proved disastrous.

Though the film had the hit Jodi of Tanuja and Deb Mukherjee of Ek Baar Muskura Do yet the film failed miserably. The other major drawback of the film was a poor musical score by upcoming music director Bappi Lahiri.

Shomu Mukherjee took 5 years exile from Bollywood  

The failure of the film Nannha Shikari came as a bolt from the blue and shattered Shomu Mukherjee. He was sunken into heavy debt. Due to financial crises, the married life of Shomu Mukherjee and Tanuja took a beating. Shomu Mukherjee took to liquor and took an exile from Bollywood for almost 5 years. 

Elder brother Joy Mukherjee comes to Shomu Mukherjee's rescue

Like Shomu Mukherjee, Joy Mukherjee the elder brother of the family was also in a soup. Joy Mukherjee's film Love in Bombay was stuck in financial trouble and he too was in mental trauma. Thus to come out from the financial mess, both the brothers, Joy Mukherjee and Shomu Mukherjee joined hands and decided to make commercial potboiler. In the mid 70’s suspense thrillers adapted from Hollywood films like Dharmatama, Khote Sikke, Adalat, Majboor, etc.  were doing good business hence the brothers made Chhailla Babu (1977) a Hindi adaption of Hollywood film Charade (1963) staring Cary Grant and Audrey Hepburn. The film was written and produced by Shomu Mukherjee and directed by Joy Mukherjee. The film had Rajesh Khanna and Zeenat Aman in lead roles. The highlight of the movie was its super hit music by Laxmikant Pyarelal. All the songs were hit like Main Babu Chhailla……Yaar Dildar Tujhe Kaisa Chahiye…"Kal Raat Sadak Pe Ek Ladki... Chhailla Mera Chhailla……… The film was a huge hit and collected a whopping Rs 4 crore.

The film not only brought the Mukherjee Production Company back on tracks but also gave Rajesh Khanna his lost stardom. The success of the film opened doors for more films and he gave several hit films like Amar Deep, Thodisi Bewafaii, Kudrat, etc.

Shomu Mukherjee ruined his career as flop director

Shomu Mukherjee was a good writer and producer but a bad director. However, he repeated the mistake of taking direction after the success of Chhailla Babu. Earlier too, after Ek Baar Muskura Do's success, he took direction and lost money in Nanha Sikari. Similarly, after Chhailla Babu, Shomu Mukherjee directed Fifty Fifty (1981) with Rajesh Khanna and Tina Munim but the film failed to garner business as Chhailla Babu. To recover the losses Shomu Mukherjee made a low budget film Lover Boy (1985 film). He intelligently signed upcoming stars Rajiv Kapoor (Ram Teri Ganga Mali fame) and Meenakshi Seshadri (Hero Fame) to bank on the success of their hit films but the formula failed. The film was a dude at box-office!!!

Shomu Mukherjee went bankrupt with multi-star cast films

In a bid to make a comeback Shomu Mukherjee made a big-budget multi-star cast film Pathar Ke Insan (1990) staring top stars Vinod Khanna, Sridevi, Jackie Shroff, Poonam Dhillon, Moon Moon Sen, etc. The film was widely publicized but alas nothing could save the film. Poor direction and poor music of the film could not garner business despite an attractive star-cast.

Shomu Mukherjee tried to review his career with Salman Khan but failed!

Devastated by repeated failures Shomu Mukherjee made a last attempt to review his career by making a film with Salman Khan and Manisha Koirala in lead. The film Sangdil Sanam (1994) was a love story with a focus on music. The film had melodious music by Anand Milind. The songs of the film like Aankhon Mein Band…; Dharti Bane Dawaat…; Le Le Mera Naam Le…and Sanam Sangdil Sanam…were hit but alas the film was a miserable flop.

1990

Kajol played a doting daughter!

After his last film Sangdil Sanam (1994), Shomu Mukherjee was completely bankrupt. He lost his saving and took to bed in the 2000s. However, Kajol, his elder daughter played a pivotal role and took complete care of his father. Though she stayed with her in-laws, Kajol like a dotting a daughter bore all the expenditure of his father's food and medication.

Shomu Mukherjee died an unsung death

Shomu Mukherjee died an unsung death. On April 10, 2008, Shomu Mukherjee died of a massive heart attack. Incidentally, the family was in jubilant mood as Shomu Mukherjee's son-in-law Ajay Devgan's directorial debut film Me Aur Hum starring Kajol and Ajay in lead role was being planned for release. However, no sooner the news of Shomu Mukherjee died was revealed a saddened Kajol cut-off all celebrations. The funeral procession was attended by the who's who of Bollywood.