Film in Focus: Mother India

In this dramatic sequence from Mehboob Khan’s Mother India (1957), the protagonist, Radha (played by Nargis), sings as she implores her fellow villagers not to leave their village, which has been destroyed by a storm. Consider how Radha acts as a metaphor for post–World War II India, as well as how she embodies the archetype of the self-sacrificing, nurturing mother.

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Discussion Questions

After watching this clip from Mother India, consider the questions below. Then submit your response.

Question 1.

Think of classical Hollywood films you have seen (Gone with the Wind, for example). How does this clip from Mother India recall Hollywood studio style in terms of mise-en-scène, color cinematography, and characterization? How does it differ?

Question 2.

In what ways is Indian national identity associated with the film’s main character, Radha, in this clip? How are viewers’ emotions engaged by this association?