There is no denying Bollywood’s dominance in India. The cinema has developed into an increasingly important part of our culture. Every week on Friday, there are brand new movies with fresh plots and casts of performers trying to make a point in front of an eager audience. Youngsters mimic their favourite performers’ dance moves, and teenagers prefer to steal their signature looks.
Occasionally, an actor will become more well-known than the movie they’re in, and occasionally, an actor will become so associated with a certain type of role that audiences will only recognise them in that role. In the ’70s and ’80s, for instance, Jagdish Raj was a regular fixture in the role of police inspector. Nirupa Roy, meanwhile, appeared as the film’s mother multiple times. Celebrate Mother’s Day by sharing a slice of mothers day cake with your mum and thinking back on some of Bollywood’s most iconic mothers from throughout the years.
Nirupa Roy, the mother who is “always oppressed,” Without this performer, the history of Bollywood and the role that mothers have played in its characters would be incomplete. To this day, the line “Mere Paas Maa Hai” remains one of the top 10 most quoted lines from Bollywood films. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Nirupa Roy was a staple in film as the doting mum.
She became the archetype of the selfless mom whose tumultuous life is centred around making her kids happy. She is also respectfully remembered as the on-screen mum to Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan. Her performance in the 1975 film Deewar is widely regarded as her career high point, although she also stood out in comparable roles in films like Mard, Inquilab, Suhaag, Amar Akbar Anthony, Muqaddar ka Sikandar, etc.
The Morally Right Mother India – Nargis Dutt
Mother India is a fantastic film, widely considered to be among the best in India and the world. A desperate single mother who will stop at nothing to improve her family’s lot in life is forced to take the life of her own child because of his immoral actions.
Nargis’s dismissal of Sunil Dutt with a gun is widely regarded as one of cinema’s greatest jaw-dropping scenes. The role played by Nargis Dutt, “Radha,” is one of the most beloved mothers in Indian cinema, and it is fitting to include her here.
Waheeda Rehman – The Graceful Mom
She embodies the very definition of beauty and grace. She still has the power to captivate with her secretive smile and assertive demeanour, even at her ripe old age. She is the kind of mother who is always right and who never stops praising and supporting her children.
We saw her as a Dai maa in Lamhe, where she advocated for “love over age barrier,” and we loved her performance in Rang De Basanti, where she fought the government for justice for her dead son. They call her “beloved mum!”
Dina Pathak – The Strict but Sweet Mom
We noted that she nailed the role of the “mommy darling” in all those ’70s and ’80s sour cherry comedies aimed at families. In films like Koshish, Khubsoorat, Jhoothi, Gol Maal, Pinjar, Naram Garam, etc., she played the role of a nurturing mother. Her performances in these films were very well received by audiences. If she hadn’t been involved, these films might not have become known at all. However, her role as a strict mother in the film Khubsoorat is widely regarded as her best work in the genre.
Reema Lagoo – The Best 90’s Mom
Those old films from the ’90s — reminisce? Almost all of them will have the same face if you look closely enough. The entire family enjoys watching her tear up in the theatre while watching popular films like Hum Aapke Hai Koun, Maine Pyar Kiya, Main Prem Ki Deewani Hoon, Hum Saath Saath Hai, Kal Ho Naa Ho, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, etc. Her tender expression, modest demeanour, and understated crying will forever be iconic symbols of the ’90s.
Ratna Pathak – The Sophisticated No-Nonsense Mommy
When playing mothers on screen, she brings the same air of sophistication and coolness that she brings to her other roles. Since the year 2000, Ratna Pathak has become one of the most popular fictional mothers.
Watch any of the films Khubsoorat, Janee Tu Ya Jaane Na, Ek Main Aur Ekk Tu, Golmaal 3, Mubarakan, or Kapoor & Sons, and you’ll see how effortlessly she sidesteps all the “nonsense.” And in her mother’s avatar, she looks just stunning! Aside from films, she played the mother in “Sarabhai V/S Sarabhai,” a role that will live in infamy forever.
Some of Bollywood’s “Darling Mommy’s” included the women below. But in the end, nothing can take the place of our own mothers. In honour of this special occasion, spend some quality time with her. That really is the perfect mothers day gift for Mom on this special day.
