Bollywood has a long history of challenging age dynamics, particularly when it comes to casting actresses in mother roles. It's not uncommon to see actresses playing mothers to actors who are the same age or even older than them in real life. This trend highlights the industry's complex relationship with age and the roles available to women as they get older.
Several actresses have taken on the challenge of playing a mother to an older actor. Nargis played the iconic role of Radha in "Mother India" (1957) at the age of 28, portraying the mother of Sunil Dutt and Rajendra Kumar, who were the same age as her. Rakhee Gulzar played Amitabh Bachchan's mother in "Shakti" (1982) at 35, even though she was five years younger than him. Shefali Shah played mother to Akshay Kumar in "Waqt: The Race Against Time" (2005), despite being five years younger than him. In the 2018 film "Zero", Sheeba Chaddha played Shah Rukh Khan's mother, despite being seven years younger. Sonali Kulkarni played Salman Khan's mother in "Bharat" (2019), despite being nine years younger than him.
Sheeba Chaddha, who has been in the industry since 1998, shared that she played Shah Rukh Khan's mother in "Raees" (2017) and "Zero" (2018). Interestingly, Shah Rukh Khan was her senior in college. Chaddha has also spoken about being typecast in mother roles, often playing mothers to actors only 10-12 years younger than her. She acknowledged that this is common in television, where even 30-year-olds play mothers to older actors. She has made peace with it, treating it as just work.
Raavee Gupta Biddvai, who has been in shows like 'Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi', took a break to focus on being a full-time mother. She returned to television in 'Naagin 5', playing mother to Sharad Malhotra and Mohit Sehgal. Raavee mentioned that she had played a mother to an actor older than her in the past.
Other examples include Vidya Balan playing mother to Amitabh Bachchan, who was about 70 years old while Vidya was in her early 30s. Richa Chadha played a 65-year-old mother to Nawazuddin Siddiqui, who was older than her, in "Gangs Of Wasseypur".
The reasons for this casting choice can vary. Sometimes, it's due to the storyline's demands, while other times, it might be due to the actress's willingness to take on challenging roles. Some actresses, like Kareena Kapoor in "Ra.One," agreed to play a mother because Shah Rukh Khan was her co-star. Actresses sometimes take on mother roles because they like the role that was offered to them and see it as something different from what they have done so far.
While some actresses have shied away from playing mothers, fearing typecasting, others have embraced these roles and delivered memorable performances. Despite the potential risks, many actresses have successfully navigated these roles and continued to have successful careers.
