When Kajol's father gave a lifeline to Rajesh Khanna

Shomu Mukherjee, a producer and director comes from a family where there are many successful men and women in the film industry. He was the husband of yesteryear actress Tanuja, known for her tomboyish charm and father of Kajol Mukherjee, who had a raw appeal for her fans too.

He produced a handful of films, one of which – Chhaila Babu (1978) – which he also directed gave an extended shelf life to Rajesh Khanna, who had by then been overtaken by Amitabh Bachchan for the number one slot in Hindi cinema. Of course, the next film which he made with Khanna in 1981 titled 'Fiffty Fiffty' flopped. At that time the film's lead pair of Rajesh Khanna and Tina Munim was rumoured to be in an intimate relationship.

His elder brother Joy Mukherjee was a big name in Hindi cinema in the 1960s and 1970s. His niece is Rani Mukherjee and young director Ayan Mukherjee is his nephew.

Today is Shomu Mukherjee's 77th birth anniversary