It’s Mother’s Day – an ideal time to tell your mothers how much you love them. And why not? It could earn you some brownie points and perhaps some extra pocket money – a win-win situation!
On a serious note why do the extra makkhanbaazi when you can actually do something fun with your mother and make her feel special instead. So, chuck the mushy cards and melodramatic one-liners and celebrate this Mother’s Day differently. Grab some popcorn and make way to binge watch movies with your mother that beautifully capture the bond between mother and children.
It would ring in the day perfectly and give you some quality time with your mother. Here’s a list of movies to choose from:
1. ‘Margarita With a Straw’ for Laila and Shubhangini Damle
Margarita with a Straw has garnered much praise for asking some uncomfortable questions and lifting the veil on scarcely documented cerebral palsy, and rightly so. But another thing that makes the movie unforgettable is the strong mother-daughter bond between Laila (played by Kalki) and her mom (played by Revathi).
Centred around two strong women, this is a story of how the mother and daughter draw strength from each other and take on life’s challenges without dwelling on things (disabilities) that cannot be changed. Shubhangini is convincingly and fiercely supportive of her daughter’s choices and is not, for a moment, seen lamenting her fate. The roadblock, however, comes in the form of Laila’s sexuality and her mother’s reluctant acceptance of it. How would a typical middle-class Indian mother react to her disabled daughter’s homosexual identity? Acceptance is not easy, but eventually it comes, albeit hesitantly.
The warmth of their relationship, imbued with myriad emotions, trials and tribulations makes it an extraordinary rendition of the deep yet complex bond that can develop between a mother and daughter.
2. ‘Khoobsurat’ for Dr Milli and Manju
Who says you need a best friend when you have a cool mom like Manju? Could you imagine calling your mother by her name? What about sanskaar? Well, Khoobsurat puts an interesting spin to a mother-daughter relationship, showcasing how one can confide all their secrets in their mother. Do you remember the mother-daughter swooning over Prince Vikram (Fawad Khan)? And Manju being fiercely protective of Milli when she senses her heartbreak?
The funny conversations between the two might have trickled your funny bone, but at the same time they showed how much fun it can be to have a mom who is more like a friend.
3. ‘Nil Battey Sannata’ for Apu and Chanda
A mother’s dream to see her daughter do well in life – unfazed by their circumstances. Chanda (played by Swara Bhaskara) doesn’t even shy away from going back to school just to get her daughter serious about studies. At a deeper level, it is about a mother dealing with her daughter’s stubbornness and rigid reluctance to learn.
Apart from underscoring the importance of education, the film beautifully captures the bond between the mother and daughter which oscillates between unrestrained love and bouts of frustration – realistic and relatable.
4. DDLJ for Simran and Lajjo
How many Indian mothers would muster the courage to ask their daughters to elope? Well, Lajjo (played by Farida Jalal) does. A character much ahead of her time, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jaenge’s Lajjo understands her daughter and supports her choices against all odds. She even goes against her husband’s idea of values and pride and asks her daughter to follow her heart. She truly had Simran’s back, and how!
5. ‘Kahaani 2’ for Mini and Durga Rani Singh
Set in the backdrop of child sexual abuse, Kahaani 2 brings to light a mother’s fierce protectiveness for her daughter who, by the way, is not her biological daughter. Durga (played by Vidya Balan) sees in Mini her younger self as both are victims of child sexual abuse, and takes upon herself the task of protecting her against all odds.
Though the execution gets a tad melodramatic, the movie nevertheless captures a beautiful bond between the mother and daughter, which can also be witnessed in the song Mehram.
6. ‘Kal Ho Na Ho’ for Naina and Jenny
The epitome of a modern mother who juggles home and work, Jenny (played by Jaya Bachchan) shows parenting done right. Jenny not only brings up her own children amidst financial crisis, but gives immense love and care to her husband’s illegitimate child – something few woman would have the heart to do.
Staying true to the quintessential image of a mother, Jenny is quick to realise her daughter has fallen in love and is the first one to comfort Naina (played by Preeti Zinta) when she faces her first heartbreak. Not just this, throughout the movie she can be seen comforting her children in the face of adversities.
7. ‘Sarabhai vs Sarabhai’ for Rosesh and Maya Sarabhai
“Meri moma Maya Sarabhai, yaani ishwar ki di hui badhaai
Ishwar ki samjhaai hui sachaai, ki duniya maaya se hi bani banaai...
...Maya to sophistication ka pratik hai, thodi contemporary thodi antique hai
Maya to hai mamta ka chhaya, sara pyaar aata always via maaya”
Does the poem ring a bell and remind you of the beautiful bond shared between mama’s boy Rosesh (played by Rajesh Kumar) and the oh-so-sophisticated Maya Sarabhai (played by Ratna Pathak Shah)? It might not be a movie but he bond between Rosesh and Maya Sarabhai is too adorable to be missed out here. After all, who other than Maya was brave enough to appreciate Rosesh’s poetry? And who else but Rosesh would reveal all his secrets to Maya?
The mother-son duo share a cute bond and are a perfect team – they have the same interests, likings and love each other unconditionally. Not to forget, as a team, they are the best foil to all the mischievous plans of Indravadan Sarabhai.