Vidya Balan In Paa To Sridevi In Mom, 15 Actresses Who Redefined Motherhood In Indian Cinema
T. De Witt Talmage once said, ¡°Mother¡ªthat was the bank where we deposited all our hurts and worries.¡± Isn¡¯t it so true? Motherhood is a celebration of emotions that cannot be weaved in words. Just look at your mom, isn¡¯t she the ultimate beauty you ever fell in love with?
Also Read: Motherhood Isn't A Roadblock! 15 Actresses Who Made Powerful Comebacks After Becoming Mothers
Where there¡¯s no destined way to look at your mother¡¯s struggles and sacrifices, cinema as an art form has given us chances to experience how beautiful stories different mothers have. This Mother¡¯s Day 2023, let¡¯s look back at some of the most iconic and intriguing characters of mothers played by actresses on-screen:-
1. Vidya Balan in Paa
R Balki¡¯s 2009 emotional drama Paa was a tale of a struggling child with a rare and debilitating genetic condition called Progeria. The film starred Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, and Vidya Balan in pivotal roles. Vidya played Big B¡¯s strong single mother who raised her kid amidst all the challenges and social taboos.
2. Sridevi in MOM and English Vinglish
India¡¯s first female superstar Sridevi played the iconic character of a mother in MOM. She plays Devki in the film and her daughter Aarya is a student in the same school she teaches. When Sridevi punishes a few notorious students, the kids rape her daughter to take revenge. Sridevi¡¯s character then takes a flight on a thrilling journey where she ends up killing the culprits.
In English Vinglish, the desi mom goes abroad and tries to fit in the drastically varied culture. To be able to not be outcasted from society and feel like letting down her children, this strong mother takes language classes and does whatnot else. This tale of a struggling and shining housewife became a superhit at the box office.
3. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan in Jazbaa
Aishwarya returned to cinemas after a hiatus of four years with Jazbaa in 2015 and gave a critically acclaimed performance. Mrs Jr Bachchan played the character of a lawyer who is also a single mother. In the story, she falls into a do-or-die situation where she has to free her daughter from kidnappers by defending a rapist. What she does next is a treat to watch on-screen!
4. Revathy in Margarita With a Straw
2014¡¯s Margarita with a straw was a hard-hitting struggle of a cerebral palsy-affected young girl who moves to America to pursue graduation. Playing the mother of the film¡¯s lead Kalki Koechlin is actress Revathy whose character understands her kid¡¯s sexual preferences and helps her find a direction in life.
5. Tabu in Drishyam
Where everyone lauded Tabu for her fierce look, it was the feeling of motherhood that shaped Tabu¡¯s strong character in Drishyam. In a two-part film, she seeks revenge for her son¡¯s death. Where in part 1 she fails to accomplish the same, part 2 shows her reopening the case with the help of Akshay Khanna¡¯s character.
6. Sakshi Tanwar in Mai
Known for her evergreen television serials, Sakshi Tanwar left a strong mark when she played a head-strong mother in the Netflix series Mai. Sakshi rides on a journey to find justice for her dead daughter by taking the law in her hand. Fearless of threats from powerful forces, this gripping drama is ruled by Sakshi¡¯s performance.
7. Swara Bhasker in Nil Battey Sannatta?
Swara Bhasker who is known for her unconventional and raw performances played a single mother in this rural drama. She is someone who works as a maid but ends up studying with her daughter in the same school to learn enough and teach her kid. Swara beautifully depicted what all mothers can do to create a beautiful life for their kids.
8. Shefali Shah in Darlings
Shefali plays a mom to Alia Bhatt in Darlings which went on to become a critically successful film. Where mothers in traditional families tell their daughters to adjust to whatever kind of husband she has, Shah¡¯s character does the opposite. "Mix rat poison in his food, and he will quit drinking for life," Shefali says in a scene when Alia struggles to get rid of her abusive marriage.
9. Neena Gupta in Masaba Masaba
A real mother to Masaba Gupta, Neena acted as her reel mother in this series. As she is herself in real life afraid of ¡®log kya kahenge¡¯, Neena weaved Masaba¡¯s life the same way. One will definitely see a lot of fights between the two but isn¡¯t how that way only we love our mothers a little more!
10. Kriti Sanon in Mimi
What happens when you don't decide on motherhood and you end up having a baby? Kriti in this film became a surrogate mother for some money but ended up raising that kid. This film purely redefines motherhood as even without feeling motherly, Kriti ends up being the most lovely mommy of a surrogate child.
11. Sushmita Sen in Aarya
Sushmita Sen returned to cinemas after a long hiatus of enjoying motherhood in her personal life to play it on-screen. "Kehne wale toh kuch bhi kahenge.. I am just a working mother¡±. With dialogues as such the film explores Sushmita¡¯s journey of protecting her three children and running her family¡¯s dark business. Sen says in another scene, ¡°Mera parivar meri kamzori hai aur meri taqat bhi.¡±?
12.?Kirron Kher in Khoobsurat and Dostana
A Punjabi mom would always melt everyone¡¯s heart and that repeatedly happened with Kirron Kher¡¯s several stints in cinema. The actress¡¯s two performances as a notable mom that we recall today are Khoobsurat and Dostana. Where in one film, she goes beyond the boundaries of friendship with her on-screen daughter Sonam Kapoor, another film sees her accepting her son¡¯s sexuality with a pinch of salt. Her motherly characters have been both traditional and understanding in all shades.
13. Karisma Kapoor in Shakti: The Power
When the popular on-screen lover girl and diva turned an aching mother, it just blew people¡¯s minds. Karishma Kapoor in this family drama plays a mother who loses her husband in a goon clash and asked to leave her son at the doorstep of her in-laws. Kapoor fought for her son¡¯s custody and won the struggling battle leaving audiences smitten by the fact that ¡®Ek Maa Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hai¡¯.
14. Nargis Dutt in Mother India
One of the first films that made us celebrate motherhood in Indian cinema was undoubtedly Mother India. From losing two kids to killing the third, Nargis¡¯s character in this film has multiple emotions unfolding. A single mother that ploughs the field and hearts of people leaves audiences inspired and impressed.
15. Nirupa Roy in Deewaar
Remember the unforgettable dialogue of Amitabh Bachchan - ¡®Mere paas maa hai¡¯? It was for the actress who was known as the ¡®Mother of Bollywood¡¯. Nirupa in her several stints as a mother reflected the ideals and values of every Indian mother and Deewar was one of her memorable projects. The film ended up making Nirupa redefine the notions of motherhood.
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