Mother India

Mother India is one of the most popular Hindi films from the prolific bouquet of Indian cinema. Mehboob Khan's Mother India is a classic hit that took the country by storm and is still itched in minds of millions of cinema lovers across the globe. The film is an excellent example of India’s developing cinematic brilliance. It perfectly explains the woes and pangs of a poor Indian family in the most appealing manner. Mother India struck the right cord of Indian audience with the help of unprecedented acting prowess of its artists and a gripping story laced with impeccable direction of Mehboob Khan. Mother India hits the Indian Silver Screen in the year of 1957. It is a seminal epic of Hindi cinema and also among the all-time Indian Box Office hits. The story about a grassroots-level Indian family whose fortune forever lies in hands of several adamant forces touches the hearts and souls of Indian viewers. The film, with great cinematic finesse, strikingly brings forth the various adversities and miseries of a poor farmer family. Mother India, an epic in itself, was penned and directed by Mehboob Khan. It stars Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar and Raj Kumar in lead roles. The film is said to be a remake of Mehboob Khan's earlier film, Aurat, which released in 1940. 

SYNOPSIS

The story of Mother India revolves around a poverty-stricken village woman named Radha essayed by one of the finest actress of Indian cinema Nargis. Her entire life spends facing and fighting against the trials and tribulations posed by a wrongdoer in the village. In the course of life, she raises her sons and survives against ill-will of an immoral money-lender. In spite of all hardships, she never compromises with her dignity and morals. Even during her destitution and poverty, she sets moral example of what it means to be an Indian woman. Her adherence to her high morals and dignity is shown well by the fact that she kills her own criminal son at the end for the greater moral good. She, as the main protagonist of the film, represents India as a nation in the aftermath of independence.

Indian Box Office describes Mother India as "An All-time Indian blockbuster. It is without any doubt India's most loved film which got outstanding reviews from critics as well as audience.  The film wins the National Film Award for Third Best Feature Film in 1958. Mother India is one among a small collection of films, including Kismet, Mughal-e-Azam and Sholay which continue to be viewed over and again throughout India. The film is considered to be one among ultimate Hindi Cultural Film Classics. Mother India created history when it became India's first entry for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 1958 and was chosen as one of the five nominations for the category.