Most Bollywood buffs would know the iconic "Mere pass maa hai" dialogue from Deewar. This dialogue transformed the storytelling of motherhood in Bollywood. While Mother's Day, an import from the West, is only just beginning to establish itself in India, Bollywood has historically celebrated the concept of " maa" (mother) in ways that are culturally more significant, mythically resonant, and emotionally authentic than perhaps any other film industry in the world.

Long before cards and Instagram posts, Hindi cinema had already firmly defined the Indian image of "mother" as a symbol of sacrifice, moral authority, emotional endurance, and spiritual transcendence.

This article will explore how Bollywood celebrates motherhood on and off screen and influences popular representations of motherhood.

Mother India

Post-Independence India saw the rise of the suffering, sacrificial mother archetype, which dominated Bollywood cinema from the 50s to the 80s. Depicted first in films as strong embodiments of virtue, a mother's role became the moral compass. Nargis in Mother India (1957) was India's most famous representation of motherhood. As Radha, a deprived and destitute rural woman who refuses to sell her integrity and shoots her rebellious son, Nargis defined the Indian mother as a goddess.

In some ways, Radha wasn't just a character; she was Bharat Mata (Mother India), embodied. Her struggles became metaphors for the newly independent nation’s struggles, and consequently, the sacrificial mother became a staple of Bollywood.

For many years, the sacrificial mother trope was perpetuated in countless films. For example, Nirupa Roy, the "Universal Maa of Bollywood," became synonymous with Bollywood's crying, praying, suffering mother. In Deewaar (1975), as the torn mother counterpoised between her honest son (Shashi Kapoor) and her criminal son (Amitabh Bachchan), Roy delivers the iconic phrase: "Mere paas maa hai." Rohini Hattangadi has the same lineage as Agneepath (1990), in which her despair and emotional anguish drive the revenge story.

The way mothers were portrayed reinforced the ingrained tendency of Indians to hold mothers in higher moral regard. Mothers were not just figures of care, but also moral leaders of dharma, patience and faith.

Martyr and Goddess: Mother

In Bollywood, the mother transcended mere human status and embodied the divine mother. She not only nurtured children, but she endured pain, considered honour and her well-being secondary to her children's lives in songs and narratives filled with love, and sometimes even accepted death without discussion or bitterness.

The examples of Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (1974) and Amar Akbar Anthony (1977) illustrate how mothers were romanticised as central to how families felt and represent the lost unity of India, morality, and family relationships. Mothers in Bollywood were compelling figures. They could bless heroes to avoid bullets, or curse villains to avoid success or consequence, and their resilience existed always in a hidden and unfathomable place.

These visuals are strongly influenced by mythology, where goddesses like Durga, Parvati (also called Uma), and Kaali are first mothers and second warriors. Bollywood borrowed from this lexicon instinctively by merging the human and divine, creating something timeless with the notion of the mother figure.

Modern Mothers: Walking with the Times

Contemporary Bollywood, particularly post-2010, has produced some of the most layered and impressive representations of mothers possible. These are not representational angels or mothers of eternal patience; they are real, living women, juggling identities, aspirations, and struggles.

Sridevi in English Vinglish (2012) plays Shashi, who, constantly being belittled by her husband and children for not knowing English, goes on a journey of self-discovery to find her identity and professionalism again.

Shefali Shah, in Dil Dhadakne Do (2015), plays a privileged matriarch in a loveless marriage. Her performance shows how women, as mothers, are victims of societal hypocrisy.

In Mom (2017), also played by Sridevi, the story turns into a dark revenge drama, where the stepmother goes out of her way to avenge the rape of her daughter–the dual role of mother as both protector and destroyer.

In Badhaai Ho (2018), Neena Gupta plays a middle-aged woman stuck in a pregnant state that embarrasses her adult son but reminds her of her agency and desire, something we rarely see in Indian Cinema.

Sakshi Tanwar plays a widowed Maharani and a mother of three in Netflix's The Royals (2025). A few episodes down the line, her mother-in-law makes her realise that she is a widow, not a dead body. She then accepts a proposal from a famous actor for a situationship, which she recently learned from her son. Her journey from only caring and sacrificing for her three kids to giving herself a chance to live her life is metamorphosing.

These portrayals are more relatable to audiences today. The modern Bollywood mother is strong yet imperfect, traditional yet progressive, emotional yet sensible. She is not just an emotional prop, but is frequently the story's hero.

Real-Life Bollywood Mothers

Babita, a former Bollywood actress and mother of Karishma Kapoor and Kareena Kapoor Khan, is known for guiding the sisters in their acting careers without any internal support.

It is rumoured that women were not allowed to work in films, a rule set by Raj Kapoor, but that did not deter sisters Karishma and Kareena from walking the path of glamour and becoming superstars. This even caused a rift between Radhir and Babita, and they stayed separately until recently.

In a chat with Radio Channel 92.5 a few years ago, Randhir Kapoor said, "I am very proud of my two daughters. They made it on their streak. Yes, the driving force was Babita. I give full credit to their mother, but they have worked very hard."

Global star Priyanka Chopra always praises her mother for being there when she was a nobody. A trained ENT specialist and Physician, Madhu Chopra sacrificed her career and shifted from Bareilly to Mumbai to kickstart her daughter's career. Today, Priyanka Chopra is a well-known name not only in Bollywood but also in Hollywood.

Madhuri Dixit stepped away from Bollywood after marrying Dr. Shriram Nene in 1999 and moving to the United States for family life to raise their sons, Arin and Ryan. She lived primarily in Colorado for over 10 years before returning to India. Raveena Tandon also left the industry to raise her daughter and son; the former recently made her Bollywood debut.

Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers who live their lives and contribute to others', making it a haven.