Kajol honours late father Shomu Mukherjee on Father's Day with rare family photo
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Actress Kajol marked Father's Day with a heartfelt tribute to her late father, filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee, sharing a rare monochrome photograph on Instagram and reflecting on how his presence continues to live on through her laughter. The post, shared on 21 June, offered a rare and intimate glimpse into the actress's enduring bond with her father, who passed away on 10 April 2008.
The Instagram Post
Kajol posted a vintage black-and-white image featuring her parents — filmmaker Shomu Mukherjee and veteran actress Tanuja — captured in a warm, candid moment. Alongside the image, she wrote: 'Looking at old pictures and realizing how much of you is still alive in my laugh. Miss you every single day #HappyFathersDay.'
The photograph shows Tanuja appearing joyful and radiant beside her husband, the two sharing a lighthearted moment that Kajol clearly holds close to heart.
A Recurring Grief, Publicly Shared
This is not the first time Kajol has publicly commemorated her father. Just days before Father's Day, she had marked his birth anniversary with an equally emotional note on social media, writing: 'Dear dad, I still don't know how to do this without you.' She captioned that post: 'Miss u every day.. #daddysgirlforever.'
The two tributes, coming in quick succession, reflect a grief that the Kuch Kuch Hota Hai actress has never sought to conceal — and a father whose absence she describes as an ongoing, daily reality even 17 years after his passing.
Who Was Shomu Mukherjee
Shomu Mukherjee was a multifaceted figure in Hindi cinema, working as a director, writer, and producer. He is credited with films including Ek Baar Muskura Do, Nanha Shikari, Chhailla Babu, Fiffty Fiffty, Lover Boy, Pathar Ke Insan, and Sangdil Sanam.
It was on the sets of Ek Baar Muskura Do that he first met actress Tanuja. The two married in 1973 and went on to have two daughters — Kajol and Tanisha — both of whom built careers in Indian cinema. Shomu Mukherjee died following a heart attack at the age of 64.
The Broader Picture
Kajol's repeated, candid tributes stand apart from the carefully curated celebrity Father's Day posts that flood social media each June. Her willingness to articulate ongoing grief — rather than simply celebrate memory — resonates with audiences who have experienced similar loss. Notably, Tanuja, now in her eighties, remains an active presence in Kajol's public life, and the rare archival photograph underscores how deeply family legacy shapes the actress's identity both on and off screen.
As Kajol continues to balance a high-profile film career with these personal expressions of remembrance, her Father's Day tribute serves as a reminder that behind the marquee name is a daughter still navigating life without her father.