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Bollywood's premature mothers
Anything can happen in our movies. Actors can jump off a 150 feet tall cliff without scraping a finger, withstand a million bullets and not bleed, take multiple reincarnations to reunite with the love of their lives or play parent to a child several years older than them.
And that's exactly what Vidya Balan does playing a doting mommy to a 60-plus Amitabh Bachchan, in R Balki's uniquely-themed Paa. AB plays a 13-year-old boy, Auro, suffering from a peculiar genetic disorder, Progeria, which leads to a rapid ageing condition. Ironically, it's son Abhishek playing 'Paa' to him.
The star of Parineeta and Heyy Babyy is not the only actress to shower her maternal affection on someone slightly grown-up or only a couple of years younger. Here's a list of some unlikely mother-child jodis on screen.
Vidya Malvade, Kidnap
There's something about Vidya Malvade's personality, which makes her look instantly sensible and reliable.
Perhaps that explains her being cast as the watchful elder sister in Inteha and captain of a hockey team in Chak De! India.
But playing mummy to a colleague who belongs to the same age group is just too much, no? No wonder she's grossly miscast as Minissha Lamba's anxious mom in Sanjay Gadhvi's lackluster, Kidnap.
Sonali Kulkarni, Mission Kashmir
Her restrained performance and compelling conviction almost fools you into forgetting technicalities like Duggu is almost a year older to the vivacious actress of films like Dil Chahta Hai and Taxi No 9211.
Sharmila Tagore, Aradhana
And then there are the double roles. Here, the heroine cleverly gets to demonstrate her grey-haired histrionics as well as unleash a fair share of glamour.
Like in Aradhana, Sharmila Tagore got to romance father Rajesh Khanna to sensual effects in Roop tera mastana as well as don the sacrificing mommy's mantle for Khanna again, this time as the moustache-sporting son.
Former numero unos Sridevi and Madhuri Dixit, however, preferred to do the double role instead. Whether it is as the sentimental mother with a tragic past or a vulnerable daughter with an unclear present, the actresses had no problem exhibiting maturity or 'beti-filled' affection on their younger alter egos.
Raakhee, Shakti
After serenading her with some exquisite poetry in Yash Chopra's Kabhi Kabhie, Amitabh Bachchan signed up to play Raakhee's resentful son in Ramesh Sippy's Shakti.
Interestingly while Big B continues to saucily shake a leg in Kajra re (Bunty Aur Babli) and fall for pretty young things (as seen in Nishabd), his charming co-star of the 70s, only five years younger, has to contend being one of Bollywood's favourite 'Ma'.
Waheeda Rehman, Trishul
Like Raakhee's turnaround from muse to mom, Waheeda Rehman too had the bizarre opportunity to play Amitabh Bachchan's supportive wife in Kabhi Kabhie and Mahaan only to follow it up as his jilted, dying mom in Trishul and benevolent maalkin turned mother in Namak Halal.
A professional to the core, Rehman portrayed all the facets of her changing relationships with memorable sincerity.
Nargis, Mother India
There's nothing remotely attractive about being addressed to as 'Ma' by your to-be significant other.
The legendary Nargis, however, had no such qualms while essaying the role of a lifetime in Mehboob Khan's undisputed classic, Mother India.
The actress and co-star, Sunil Dutt fell in love during the making of the concerned epic and tied the knot within a year.
Mala Sinha, Dharmaputra
Known to star in heroine-centric dramas, Mala Sinha was very much a leading lady of capers like Anpadh and Hariyali Aur Rasta when she took on Yash Chopra's Dharmaputra, set against the backdrop of partition, to play Shashi Kapoor's mom.
What's truly interesting is that the charismatic Kapoor is only two years younger and went on to romance her contemporaries like Nanda in hits like Jab Jab Phool Khile.