Archive · 22 Aug 2026
Tanuja Recalled Her First Reaction to Seeing Herself Onscreen
Tanuja is a famous Indian actress who began acting when she was young.
She once talked about watching her first film on a television chat show.
When she heard her voice, she thought it sounded very bad.
She jokingly said it sounded like a rat.
Tanuja told her mother that she did not want to act anymore.
Her mother encouraged her by promising her lemonade.
Tanuja continued acting and became successful.
She first acted as a child in Hamari Beti in 1950.
She later became an adult star through films such as Chhabili and Hamari Yaad Aayegi.
Tanuja said she thought her voice sounded bad after seeing her debut film’s rushes.
She told her mother she sounded like a rat and did not want to act in movies.
Her mother persuaded her to continue acting by offering lemonade as an incentive.
Tanuja debuted as a child artist in Hamari Beti in 1950, playing Nutan’s younger version.
She later made her adult debut in Chhabili and rose to fame with Hamari Yaad Aayegi.
- Who
- Veteran actress Tanuja and her mother, who encouraged her to continue acting.
- What
- Tanuja recalled feeling embarrassed by her voice after seeing rushes from her first film.
- When
- She shared the story during an appearance on Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai; her film debut as a child artist was in 1950.
- Where
- The interview was discussed in a report from Mumbai.
- Why
- Tanuja initially wanted to quit acting because she thought her voice sounded like a rat, but her mother persuaded her to continue.
- Child-artist debut
- Hamari Beti (1950)
- Adult-acting debut
- Chhabili (1960)
- Breakthrough film
- Hamari Yaad Aayegi (1961)
- First-screen reaction
- Tanuja thought her voice sounded very bad and compared it to a rat.
- Incentive from her mother
- Lemonade
- Television program
- Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai
- Notable films mentioned
- Baharen Phir Bhi Aayengi, Jewel Thief, Jeene Ki Raah, Haathi Mere Saathi, Anubhav, Do Chor and Mere Jeevan Saathi