The glamour of tinsel town has always been irresistible for girls who want to make it big as heroines but with the reputation of casting couch existing in the industry most of the heroines are accompanied by their mothers on sets and while meeting producers. Despite the fact that shootings generally happen in a friendly atmosphere mothers are always particular that their daughters do not fall prey to unreasonable demands. On the occasion of Mother’s Day falling on Sunday, let us take a look at a few mother daughter relationships in connection with Bollywood.
During the yesteryears, actress’s mothers would always accompany their star daughters. Nargis used to be often accompanied by her mother, Jaddanbai who was also Bollywood’s first woman director. It can be recalled that Sharmila Tagore, then broke the myth and started coming to Mumbai all alone for her shoots would generally stay alone at the Taj in South Mumbai. Like her mother, daughter Soha is also quite independent. Soha is always on her own when she is shooting and also lives alone in Mumbai. “Yes I do take Amma’s advice and bhaiya’s (Saif Ali Khan) advice but when it comes to taking our career decisions we are all very independent” Soha had earlier stated.
Mala Sinha was one more actress who was particular when her daughter Pratibha came in Bollywood. The yesteryear actress would always accompany her daughter everywhere and used to make sure that she would go through the scripts before her daughter signed on the dotted line. She never let Pratibha make her own decisions. Ultimately Pratibha started losing a lot of work and she was left with no films on hand. Pratibha has now completely retired from Bollywood.
Hema Malini’s mother also often accompanied her on the sets of the films that she signed. It was said that her mother took the decisions right from choosing the scripts to the actors she worked with. But the same cannot be spoken of Hema Malini. She never accompanies her daughter Esha on the sets. She had once told us in an interview, “I often take my mothers advice on the script but ultimately it is my decision. She leaves it to me. She often tells us that we have to fight our own battle”
Sridevi could always be seen with her mother on the sets. She was famous for her line – “Ask my mummy” whenever any journalist posed questions to her. In fact Ram Gopal Varma had even carried a spoof on Sridevi and her mother in his Rangeela (1995) with Shefali Shah and her mother played by Shammiji mocking the ex super star actress and her momma.
Madhuri Dixit used to be sometimes accompanied by her mother but her parents never interfered in her work. It was always her secretary Rikku Rakeshnath who took care of all her work including the scripts that she chose. When Madhuri had to shoot the bold lovemaking scene with Vinod Khanna for Dayavaan (1988) she made sure her mother was not present on the set.
Babita never went with her daughters on the sets but she always interfered in their work. She made sure that she went through all the scripts before her daughters signed the film. When Kareena Kapoor was signed by Rakesh Roshan’s Kaho Naa Pyar Hai it was Babita who made huge demands and finally asked her daughter to opt out of the film. Even when her elder daughter Karishma had signed Raja Hindustani, during its launch in Lonavala when Karishma was asked by a journalist whether she or her mother chooses her scripts, she had ended up in tears and left the press conference midway.
It was Aishwarya Rai who broke the trend of being accompanied by her mother on the sets. Very rarely her mother used put in an appearance on the sets. It is said that Ash was far too head strong to let her mother interfere in her work. So is Sushmita Sen. The Ex Miss Universe had once stated, “I love my mother a lot but have always been independent when it comes to work. She has been the backbone of my life. She is always there when I need her. She comes running to me but also has a family and life of her own.”
Amisha Patel’s mother used to accompany her on the sets and had even got herself a role in her daughter’s debut film directed by Rakesh Roshan. But problems followed thereafter and now Amisha refuses to acknowledge her parents anymore. She has cut ties with them following financial irregularities with her income.
Actress Amrita Rao is often seen accompanied by her mother on the sets. It is her mother who has always been instrumental in taking her career decisions that include right from choosing the films, her co-stars, directors, the PR and her interviews. One has always experienced that Amrita Rao is a tough nut to crack because her mother is always overpowering her. Amongst other actresses of the current lot, VJ turned actress Sophie Choudhary is many a time accompanied by her mother. Till she was very active in Bollywood, Ayesha Takia was also always seen with her mother on the sets or at film functions. Her stand was, “I make sure mummy is on the sets with me. I feel comfortable if she is around. The decisions are always mine. I make sure I take decisions that don’t hurt them but I bring her on the sets because I feel there’s someone to take care of me when I need something not because I cannot make my own decisions”
