Bollywood movies are incomplete without the character of the sobbing and sacrificing mother. Hence, many actresses got stereotyped after playing a successful role of a mothers in one movie. The first actress who is known as the ‘Queen of Misery’ and is synonymous with the character of the mother is Nirupa Roy. In fact, she won fame as a mother after she won a Filmfare award for Best Supporting Actress for her heart-rending performance in AVM Film’s Chhaya (1962), in which she played the mother of Asha Parekh.
However, she became immortal after her superlative performance in the Yash Chopra film Deewaar (1975). Her on-screen chemistry with Amitabh Bachchan gelled so perfectly that it typecast her as his mother in many of his future films, including Amar Akbar Anthony (1977), Khoon Pasina (1977), Muqaddar Ka Sikandar (1978), Suhaag (1979), Geraftaar (1985), and Mard (1985).In fact, in the ’90s, when Bachchan had turned 50 years old, Nirupa Roy continued to be his mother in films like Indrajeet (1991) and Lal Baadshah (1999).
The Mother Load: Actresses Typecast in Motherly Roles
Beginning her career with silent films in the early 30s, Durga Khote‘s career spanned more than 50 years. However, she won fame and became popular after her stunning performance of Indian queen Jodhabai, of Prince Salim, in the K. Asif magnum opus Mughal-e-Azam in 1960. After this, Khote never looked back. She played prominent and effective roles as a mother in films like Bidaai (1974). In this film, she played Jeetendra’s mothers and won a Filmfare Best Supporting Actress Award for her sensitive role that can make even a stone-hearted person cry. Her other popular roles were in Anupama (1966), Jukh Gaya Asmaan (1968), Bobby (1973), Abhimaan (1973), Namak Haraam (1973), and Subhash Ghai‘s cult classic, Karz (1980).
From Diva to Domesticity: The Perfect Mothers Image
The top starlet of the ’40s and 50s, Kamini Kaushal, who played the lead heroine opposite top stars like Dilip Kumar in the film Shaheed (1948), Raj Kapoor in Aag (1948), Dev Anand in Ziddi (1948), etc. In the 60s, Kamini changed gears and played some power-packed mothers roles. She started off with the challenging and strong role as Bhagat Singh’s mother in the Manoj Kumar-starring Shaheed (1965). The film became a super hit, and the Jodi of Kamini Kaushal and Manoj Kumar as mother and son appealed to the film buffs so much that Kamini Kaushal became a permanent feature as Manoj Kumar’s mother in all his films like Upkaar (1967), Purab Aur Paschim (1970), Shor (1972), Roti Kapda Aur Makaan (1974), Sanyasi (1975), and Dus Numbri (1976), etc. In 2013, she played the grandmother of Shah Rukh Khan in the film Chennai Express.
Waheeda Rehman, the beautiful actress who rose to stardom from her debut film, C.I.D., and did many hit films like Chaudhvin Ka Chand, Guide, Ram Aur Shyam, etc., did many films as a mother. Her first film as the mothers was Trishul (1978), in which she played Amitabh Bachchan’s mother. Amitabh Bachchan admired her beauty as a child. She went on to play his mother in several films, including Namak Halaal, Mahaan, and Coolie. Her other films as the mother are Lamhe, Rang De Basanti, Delhi-6, etc.
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