Mother
India
(1957)
Mehboob’s
magnum
opus
‘Mother India’ is a
tribute to the Indian woman! The only film before ‘Lagaan’ to get a
nomination in the Best Foreign Film Category at the Oscars, ‘Mother
India’ is an epic. Nargis as Radha, a ‘Mother Courage’ like
character was spectacular in the film. It was a performance of a lifetime, a
role to die for. It won her the Best actress award at the prestigious Karlovy
Vary festival. The film is emotionally charged as Radha represents millions of
women across the country struggling to preserve their dignity while bringing up
their children single-handedly. She works like a beast to feed her children and
pay off the moneylender. Her sons played by Rajendra Kumar and Sunil Dutt help
her in getting back their land from the vile clutches of the local moneylender.
Sunil Dutt as the rebel son whom she shoots in the end is brilliant. While
shooting for the film Sunil Dutt had rescued Nargis from a fire that had broken
out on the sets. The two later married spinning a romantic folklore around the
film.
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