A notable shift is underway in the Indian entertainment industry as several popular actresses are now taking on maternal roles, challenging traditional on-screen stereotypes.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu, known for her glamorous roles, is set to make her debut as a mother in the Hindi web series Citadel: Honey Bunny. Tamannaah Bhatia, who recently portrayed a mother in the Telugu film Baak (titled Aranmanai 4 in Tamil), is another example of this trend. Anushka Shetty, a versatile actress, also embraced a maternal role in her recent film Miss Shetty Mr Polishetty.
Director Hemanth Madhukar believes this trend reflects the increasing versatility of actresses. He pointed out that Tamannaah, known for her glamorous roles, was able to convincingly portray a mother in Aranmanai 4 due to the character's fit within the sequel. Similarly, Anushka Shetty, who has a diverse filmography, effortlessly embodied a mother-to-be in Miss Shetty Mr Polishetty.
However, some actresses are still hesitant to take on mother roles, fearing that it might typecast them and limit their opportunities for glamorous or romantic roles. Producer Lagadapati Sridhar acknowledges this concern but also highlights the positive impact of OTT platforms in expanding the range of roles available to actresses.
Young actresses like Keerthy Suresh, Neha Shetty, and Shraddha Srinath have redefined the perception of mother roles, proving that they can be powerful and nuanced characters. Shruti Haasan's performance in Krack, Keerthy Suresh's in Mahanati, and Neha Shetty's in Gangs of Godavari are prime examples of this.
Actress Priyamani, who played a mother in The Family Man, believes that the stereotype of actresses avoiding mother roles is outdated. She emphasized that filmmakers are now creating layered and interesting characters that are too compelling to ignore.
Hemanth Madhukar further noted that even male actors are embracing father roles, citing examples like Chiranjeevi, Venkatesh, Nani, and Vishwak Sen. This growing trend of male actors playing fathers has created opportunities for actresses to take on maternal roles as well.
This shift in the industry signifies a refreshing change, allowing actresses to explore a wider range of roles and audiences to experience more nuanced portrayals of family and relationships on screen.