Watch these screen moms as they decisively and powerfully redefine motherhood

Watch films such as ‘Bheed’, ‘The Sky Is Pink’, ‘Badhaai Do’ and more and pay a tribute to mothers on International Mother’s Day.

Hyderabad: Motherhood has traditionally been portrayed in cinema as a nurturing and sacrificial role, with mothers often depicted as selfless caregivers and homemakers. However, recent films have explored the complexity and diversity of motherhood by showcasing characters who redefine the traditional image of a mother.

From a single mom fighting for her daughter’s safety in ‘Bheed’ to a guileless mom who supports her gay son in ‘Badhaai Do’, these screen moms show us that there’s more to motherhood than we realise. Before the euphoria around the International Mother’s Day dies down, let’s pay a tribute to these mothers:

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Dia Mirza in ‘Bheed’
In ‘Bheed’, Dia Mirza plays Geetanjali, a single mother desperate to reunite with her daughter during the lockdown and demonstrates a gamut of emotions ranging from anger at her self-involved ex-husband, fear that she will not be able to fetch her daughter from her hostel in time, her realisation of the vast misery of the migrant crisis and finally empathy for those who have less privilege than her. Dia sensitively portrays the raw emotions of a mother in this Anubhav Sinha directorial which sheds light on the plight of migrants during the lockdown.

Priyanka Chopra in ‘The Sky Is Pink’
In ‘The Sky Is Pink’, Priyanka Chopra plays Aditi Chaudhary, a mother valiantly fighting to protect her terminally sick daughter from the inevitable. Based on the late Aisha Chaudhary’s book ‘My Little Epiphanies’, this film recounts how Aditi dedicated her life to Aisha right from her birth till her tragic death at the age of 18 due to Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (SCID). Through Aisha’s (Zaira Wasim) lens, we see Aditi dealing with her tumultuous and passionate marriage, and battling all odds like a warrior to get the best possible treatment for her daughter. Chopra is phenomenal in a pivotal breakdown scene and makes you feel the rage and helplessness of a mother who knows she is going to lose her child.

Sheeba Chaddha in ‘Badhaai Do’
Sheeba Chaddha plays a rather innocent and guileless mother in ‘Badhaai Do’ whose understanding of marriage and life is conventional and yet in a moment of crisis, she stands by her gay son (Rajkummar Rao) and accepts his truth without a second thought. It is this compassion and solidarity that provides him with the courage to claim his sexuality proudly before his family. This 2022 comedy-drama directed by Harshavardhan Kulkarni is the first Hindi cinematic exploration of a lavender marriage. It portrays the challenges LGBTQ+ love faces in a conservative society and features Rao and Bhumi Pednekar in lead roles.