Mumbai–Bollywood stars Madhuri Dixit Nene, Raveena Tandon and popular TV actress Sakshi Tanwar, share how with the onset of streaming platforms, portrayal of mothers has changed.
Now viewers are looking at different aspects of motherhood-whether it’s the life of a single mom or an ambitious one.
Madhuri, who was seen in web series ‘The Fame Game’ shares about mothers and the evolution of their portrayal.
“For far too long a mother’s contribution to their kids’ lives was shown from a very patriarchal point of view. With our evolving lifestyles and changing perspectives, how mothers are portrayed on screen has also seen a major shift. My character Anamika from ‘The Fame Game’ was a truly inspirational example of that.”
“Anamika was seen balancing her career and doing anything to remain on top, but also at the same time, she was just as attentive to her kids’ desires and brought the best opportunities for them, regardless of other’s opinions. She made sure her kids lived their truest lives and fulfilled their dreams.”
“As a mother it is important for me that my kids see that I work hard everyday as a working mom and hope that they live their lives with the same values of hard work and determination in all their endeavours,” she added.
While Sakshi shares that today, streaming services don’t shy away from portraying mothers as determined and strong. The idea of mothers being confined to a kitchen metaphorically is evolving, and the role of these platforms is pivotal in doing so.
“Until a decade ago, a mother’s role in movies revolved around looking after her family and children, and now cut to present times where not only mothers look after their families but also have a significant contribution to make in their families. Today, mothers are shown as the shield between the world and her child just like my character Sheel in ‘Mai’ or Raveena Tandon as Kasturi in Aranyak or even Sridevi Ji in the film ‘Mom’.”
On the other hand, Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon emphasises that mothers should never shy away from pursuing their dreams.
She shares: “We’ve grown up seeing women on-screen portraying the quiet mother who bears all. She bears the weight of the world and yet is silent when it comes to her own needs. Women are strong forces of nature. Their abilities are endless. Women, especially mothers should never feel guilty of choosing the career they want versus their family.”
“It should never be a problem because above all else, a mother is fiercely capable. She gives so much of herself and deserves the same when it’s time to give back to herself,” she concludes. (IANS)
