Mother India (1957)
Plot
Mother India is a 1957 Indian epic drama film, directed by Mehboob Khan and starring Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar and Raaj Kumar. A remake of Khan's earlier film Aurat (1940), it is the story of a poverty-stricken village woman named Radha (Nargis), who in the absence of her husband, struggles to raise her sons and survive against a cunning money-lender amidst many troubles. The title of the film was chosen to counter American author Katherine Mayo's 1927 polemical book Mother India, which vilified Indian culture. Mother India metaphorically represents India as a nation in the aftermath of its independence in 1947, and alludes to a strong sense of Indian nationalism and nation-building. Allusions to Hindu mythology are abundant in the film, and its lead character has been seen as a metonymic representation of an Indian woman who reflects high moral values and the concept of what it means to be a mother to society through self-sacrifice. While some authors treat Radha as the symbol of women's empowerment, others see her cast in female stereotypes. The film was shot in Mumbai's Mehboob Studios and in the villages of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh. The music by Naushad
Mother India details
| Industry | Bollywood (Hindi) |
|---|---|
| Year | 1957 |
| Genres | Drama, History |
| Runtime | 2h 52m |
| Rating | Not rated |
| Director | Mehboob Khan |
| Status | Released |
| Language | hi |
| Record verified | 2026-09-21 |
| Source | Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) · images: TMDB |
Where to watch Mother India
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Mother India cast & crew
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Mother India — questions
What is Mother India about?
Mother India is a 1957 Indian epic drama film, directed by Mehboob Khan and starring Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar and Raaj Kumar. A remake of Khan's earlier film Aurat (1940), it is the story of a poverty-stricken village woman named Radha (Nargis), who in the absence of her husband, struggles to raise her sons and survive against a cunning money-lender amidst many troubles. The title of the film was chosen to counter American author Katherine Mayo's 1927 polemical book Mother India, which vilified Indian culture. Mother India metaphorically represents India as a nation in the aftermath of its independence in 1947, and alludes to a strong sense of Indian nationalism and nation-building. Allusions to Hindu mythology are abundant in the film, and its lead character has been seen as a metonymic representation of an Indian woman who reflects high moral values and the concept of what it means to be a mother to society through self-sacrifice. While some authors treat Radha as the symbol of women's empowerment, others see her cast in female stereotypes. The film was shot in Mumbai's Mehboob Studios and in the villages of Maharashtra, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh. The music by Naushad
Who is in the cast of Mother India?
Mother India stars Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar, Raaj Kumar and is directed by Mehboob Khan. The full credited cast is listed above.
Where can I watch Mother India online?
We currently have no streaming platform listed for Mother India. It may be between rights deals, or only available on a service we do not track yet. This page was last checked on 2026-09-21.
How long is Mother India?
Mother India runs 2h 52m (172 minutes).
Who directed Mother India?
Mother India was directed by Mehboob Khan.
Can I download Mother India?
Not from this site — we host no film files. Where a licensed platform carries the title, that platform’s own app is the place to download it for offline viewing. The download guide explains what each quality and format means, and the buttons there point to an external third-party app we do not own or control.
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