Bollywood mothers do have 'em

From Nargis in to Shabana Azmi in, Bollywood has always had asoft corner for mothers. When one thinks of the word ''mother'' in films, onethinks of Durga Khote, Sulochana, Farida Jalal, Reema Lagoo, Rakhee, Sushma Sethand Amitabh Bachchan''s on-screen mother Nirupa Roy. But even as new names arebeing added to the list, ''Ma'' has become ''Mom'' and Bollywood''s mothers havedonned a brand new image.Gone are the days when reel mothers weresilent sufferers who sobbed in a corner when they weren''t cooking.Simultaneously, the dull sarees which celluloid mothers of yesteryear wore havebeen packed up. Today, screen moms are confident women who opposetheir husbands when the going gets tough, and offer tips to their children onhow to find that someone special.''''The Nirupa Roy brand ofmotherhood is gone. After all, life doesn''t end when one turns 50,'''' saysdirector Ravi Chopra, whose Baghban stars Hema Malini as a New-Age mother.''''Today, we see elderly mothers who look great and carry themselveswell. Why should films portray them otherwise?''''With experimentationbeing the name of the game, Rules: Pyaar Ka Superhit Formula has Tanuja teaching themantras of attracting young men. ''''I am not game for roles which don''t requireany cinematic ability,'''' says Tanuja.In Karan Johar''s, Jaya Bachchan plays aworking Catholic mother who wears jeans. ''''The Indian mother isfinally coming of age,'''' says Johar, ''''Films reflect the mindset of society.Today, no one can think of a woman as a doormat.'''' Archana PuranSingh, who plays Fardeen Khan''s aunt in Janasheen, feelsthere are boundaries to be broken. ''''As far as looks are concerned, the demureget-up is still prescribed for the mother while the backless gowns and haltersare reserved for the evil step-mother. This is definitely adichotomy.''''Simply put, if reel mothers have come a long way, theyare still walking on the path of change. Sums up trade analyst Komal Nahta,''''Today''s audience can no longer identify with the sacrificing mother who asksno questions.'''' Here''s the answer:, Bollywood mothers do have''em -roles of substance, thatis.