Mother India
1957 · Movie · Not Rated · 175 min · ★ 7.0 · 70% critics
A poverty-stricken woman raises her sons through hard trials and tribulations. Through every struggle, she holds tightly to her own moral code and keeps going.
Based on Aurat
Where to watch
Streaming on The Criterion Channel — or rent from $3.99.
3 hours to watch.
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Details
- Original title
- मदर इण्डिया
- Years
- 1957
- Release date
- 1957-02-13
- Language
- Hindi
- Rated
- Not Rated
- Runtime
- 175 min
- Critic score
- 70/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.0/10 (105 votes)
About
If you want an uplifting, values-driven family drama filled with struggle and perseverance, Mother India will likely hit home; Not for you if you prefer lighter stories or fast-paced entertainment like Shree 420 or Awaara.
Pros: inspiring resilience; strong moral core; sweeping drama | Cons: heavy hardships; old-fashioned pacing; intense sentiment
Themes
- mother
- rage and hate
- praise
- peasant
- hunger
- bodily disabled person
- physical work
- pride and vanity
- aridity
- musical
- interest
- field
Awards & recognition
- Filmfare Award — Best Film · 1958
- Academy Award — Best International Feature Film · 1958 · nominated
- International Submission to the Academy Awards · 1958 · nominated
Cast & crew
Nargis
as Radha
Sunil Dutt
as Birju
Rajendra Kumar
as Ramu
Raaj Kumar
as Shamu
Kanhaiyalal Chaturvedi
as Sukhilala
Kumkum
as Champa Chanchal
Mukri
as Shambu
- SN
Sheela Naik
as Kamla Siddiqui
Azra
as Chandra
Sajid Khan
as Young Birju
Directed by Mehboob Khan