Sashadhar Mukherjee

Sashadhar Mukherjee Biography

Sashadhar Mukherjee, a distinguished personality of Mukherjee clan of Bollywood was a film producer. Along with Himanshu Rai, he founded the famous Bombay talkies. Soon after the death of Himanshu Rai in 1940, his conflicts with his widow and actress Devika rani resulted in the slow death of Bombay talkies, though a significant movie Mahal was made under this banner in 1949. Later he founded Filmistan Studio with Rai Bahadur Chunilal, Ashok Kumar and Gyan Mukherjee in 1943. During 1950s he started his independent studio, Filmalaya. As a film producer his noted movies are Dil Deke Dekho (1959), Love in Simla (1960), Ek Musafir Ek Hasina (1962) and Leader (1964). He won the Filmfare Award for Best Film for Jagriti (1954). Indian government honoured him with Padma shree for his valuable contributions to Indian cinema in the year 1967.

He was born on September 29, 1909 in Jhansi. He was married to Sati rani, the sister of Ganguly brothers (Ashok Kumar, Kishore Kumar and Anoop Kumar). He played a significant role in bringing Ashok Kumar to cinema by giving him big break like Acchut Kanya, the film produced under the banner of Bombay Talkies. Among his sons, Joy Mukherjee, Deb Mukherjee and Shomu Mukherjee are celebrated personalities of Bollywood. Joy Mukherjee is an actor while the rest two are producers. Shomu Mukherjee was married to Tanuja, thus got linked to Samarth family. Thus Kajol and Tanisha are his grandkids. Sashadhar's great niece is actress Rani Mukerji.  His grandson, son of Deb Mukherjee, is film director Ayan Mukherjee.

Along with Himanshu Rai, he had a successful journey in Bombay talkies. But soon after his death, it got shattered. Problems occurred over the control of the film studio. During 1950’s he became one of the most successful producers through his individual film company – Filmalaya. It was good breaks to leading heroines of the industry like Asha Parekh and Sadhana. Sambandh was his last production. Mukherjee died on 3 November 1990.

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Updated: March 26, 2014