Mother's Day 2022: Bollywood 'moms' who defied stereotypes with their strong characters

Bollywood has always tried to project the idea of a `mother` in many different ways. She was previously portrayed as a person who always had the task to bring peace and love to her family.

 A feature still prevalent in most film protagonists, mothers in Bollywood are now playing more evolutionary roles. Breaking these barriers, mothers in Bollywood movies now are more free-spirited and open-minded in their approach as they try their best to ensure the well-being of their families and themselves.

On Mother`s Day 2022, here are eight mothers from Bollywood who defied the rules to enthral us with their strong performances.
 

They belong to two very different spectrums of society, yet it was their love for their children that made them share a bond. In 'Jalsa' Shefali Shah played a mother, who may not have the means, but is still the overprotective mother to both her kids.

When her daughter lands in a hospital after a gruesome accident, she takes it upon herself to find the culprit but never fails in her duties of being the nanny or the proxy mother to a child with special needs. The child's mother, played by Vidya Balan is on the opposite side of the spectrum, she provides the comforts and luxuries to her kid, is overprotective in her own way but also harbours guilt for spending time with her child thanks to her demanding job.

Neha Dhupia, who's now a mom of two, played the role of a pregnant cop in the thriller drama 'A Thursday'. In the film, Neha played the role of ACP Catherine Alvarez, who is a risk-taker and for whom the call of duty is more important. 

As we all know how pregnant working women are stereotyped as weak and the ones we can't depend upon but keeping all that aside, her character proves it wrong and shows how one pregnant woman can work and go beyond her limits despite facing all the difficulties one faces during the tough period. 

 

Mai on Netflix is a gripping and emotional series that revolves around a mother's undying love for her daughter. The series stars Sakshi Tanwar, Wamiqa Gabbi, Prashant Narayanan, Raima Sen, Anant Vidhat Sharma, and Vaibhav Raj Gupta in lead roles. It follows the story of Sheel Chaudhary, a middle-class mother and nurse, who witnesses the tragic death of her daughter, Supriya, in a pre-planned murder disguised as an accident.

As Sheel sets out to uncover the truth about her daughter's death, she transforms from meek to merciless in her pursuit of justice. The series showcases the struggle of a mother who refuses to accept her daughter's death and fights against the corrupt system to bring the perpetrators to justice. This Mother's Day, watch Mai on Netflix and witness the poignant journey of a mother's rage and love.

Sushmita Sen made her OTT debut with a thrilling series 'Aarya'. The show is about a rich, wealthy and happy family, and how their life goes upside down after her husband got murdered in front of their house. As the truth unfolds and many unexpected things come into the life of  Aarya Sareen, the way she fights all the hurdles to protect her children proves how one mother can go to any extent to protect her family. 

One of the busiest actors of Bollywood currently, Kriti Sanon earned immense praises for her phenomenal performance in Mimi. Based on the story of a surrogate, 'Mimi' portrayed an emotional rollercoaster played beautifully by Kriti. 

Paa, a movie about a boy with a rare and debilitating genetic condition, has Vidya playing a strong single mother raising her child amidst all the challenges of the ailing disease. Her character is a professional and hard-working woman who takes care of him and does whatever she thinks is best for her child Auro.Sridevi (Mom)In Mom, Sri Devi plays a furious mother who sets out to ruin the lives of four perpetrators who walked away free after her stepdaughter was sexually assaulted at a party. Her character `Devki` is an amazing portrait of exhilarating strength. The great thing about this performance, however, is that it is not just a performance of great moments, but her overall character development and her presence alone speak volumes

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan returned to the big screen after a brief break with her strong portrayal of this single mother-turned-lawyer-turned-badass. The story follows a lawyer who is obliged to represent a ruthless criminal when her daughter is stolen.
 

Released in 2014, Margarita with a Straw starred Kalki Koechlin as a cerebral palsy-affected Indian youngster moving to America for her undergraduate education, who gains maturity as a result of her complicated connection with a blind girl. Her mother`s role is played by the brilliant Revathi. Her portrayal of a cerebral palsy mother whose daughter struggles to express her sexuality is beyond remarkable.

Sridevi (English Vinglish)Shashi, the hero of this story, is a small business owner who makes snacks. With a desire to learn new things and challenge her inner fear, she enrols in an English class to prevent her husband and her daughter from making fun of her English skills.