With her roles as a mother in hundreds of films, Nirupa Roy became synonymous with the word 'maa' in Hindi cinema.
"... and when she used to become mother in films, she always turned out looking like a Goddess." - Javed Akhtar
We all are familiar with the dialogue, "Mere Paas Ma Hai". Yes, yes, that iconic scene from 'Deewar' where Shashi Kapoor (Ravi Verma) utters the line, implying having mother by his side surpasses all the bungalow and bank balance of Bachchan (Vijay Verma). More than the two leading actors, it's the maa, Nirupa Roy, who despite not being in the scene steals the show. After all, she was the quintessential Bollywood mother whose maternal image resonated with one and all. With her roles as a loving and self-sacrificing mother in hundreds of films, she gave a new dimension to the idea of 'maa' in Hindi cinema, achieving a cult status that no one else to date has come close to.
Of course, there are complaints that being Bollywood's favorite mother gave her little scope to experiment with roles. But she rose to such an unprecedented height with her motherly roles that the Bollywood filmmakers during the 70s and 80s used to write scripts keeping her mind. Whether it's portraying the selfless and resilient side of a mother or bringing out the maternal strength, she was unparalleled in every way on the screen.
(Credit: gane.sune.ansune)
Well, Mother's Day is just around the corner, and we cannot help but remember Nirupa Roy and some of her motherly roles.
The list must begin with 'Deewaar' as it's this Yash Chopra directorial that catapulted Roy to the status of Bollywood's quintessential mother. She played Amitabh Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor's mother in the film, delivering a nuanced performance that continues to leave us in tears. The enormous depth she brought into her portrayal is still an example for actors.
This performance earned her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress at the 1976 Filmfare Awards.
'Amar Akbar Anthony' was mainstream Hindi cinema at its best. The film had an ensemble cast including Amitabh Bachchan, Vinod Khanna, and Rishi Kapoor, and yet, its soul was Nirupa Roy who played the mother. Her character loses her eyesight and her sons at the very beginning of the film and goes on to suffer a lot until the reunion with her family. Roy's performance throughout the journey is just a testament to the genius that she was!
(Credit: Tips Official)
In the 1983 film 'Betaab', written by Javed Akhtar and directed by Rahul Rawail, Nirupa Roy played a doting mother to Sunny Deol. The film is a rollercoaster ride of emotions, and Roy's performance as a selfless mother is one of the major highlights. She played her character with enormous emotional depth, expressing joy, sorrow, and everything in between. There was also the right amount of intensity in her performance that added yet another layer to the narrative. And her chemistry with her on-screen son, Deol, was so good that it still gives us goosebumps!
(Credit: Shemaroo)
The list obviously doesn't end here. Besides the above-mentioned roles, it also includes Rani Durga in 'Mard', Fatima in 'Muqaddar Ka Sikander', and Bharati in 'Gangaa Jamunaa Saraswati' among others.
