Playing Mother Roles Showcases Their Acting Versatility

Mother roles, once considered a career-ending move for heroines in Tollywood, are gradually losing their stigma. Popular actress Srinidhi Shetty, who rose to fame with the KGF franchise, will be seen playing the mother of two children opposite Venkatesh in the upcoming Telugu family drama Adarsha Kutumbam. Her casting reflects a noticeable shift in the industry's attitude towards mature female characters.

The trend is not limited to Telugu cinema. Samantha Ruth Prabhu portrayed a mother in the Hindi web series Citadel: Honey Bunny, while Tamannaah Bhatia played a mother in the horror hit Aranmanai 4, released in Telugu as Baak. Anushka Shetty also stepped away from conventional glamour by essaying a pregnant woman in Miss Shetty Mr Polishetty, proving that unconventional roles need not diminish an actress's star value.

"It is true that Tamannaah, who is known for glamorous dance numbers like Kaavaalaa and Aaj Ki Raat, accepted a mother's role in Aranmanai 4 because the character had substance. Similarly, Anushka's role as a pregnant woman in Miss Shetty Mr Polishetty added emotional depth to the film. They are expanding their versatility with meaningful characters," says director Hemanth Madhukar.

However, not every actress is ready to make the transition. Producer M.S. Raju believes some leading stars still hesitate to take up mother roles.

"Certain actresses fear losing their glamorous image. Playing the mother of one or two children could make them appear older on screen, affecting opportunities to play romantic leads or pair opposite younger heroes. But that mindset is slowly changing, thanks largely to OTT platforms and audiences accepting well-written characters regardless of age," he says.

Raju points out that several actresses have already broken this barrier. "Shruti Haasan appeared as the mother of a child in Krack. Keerthy Suresh, Shraddha Srinath in Saindhav, and Neha Shetty in Gangs of Godavari have all shown that motherhood is simply another character to portray. More recently, Meenakshi Chaudhary impressed audiences in Lucky Bhaskar while simultaneously playing a romantic lead in Matka. Today's actresses are smart enough to balance varied roles without getting stereotyped."

Actress Priyamani, who played a mother in The Family Man, believes the fear of being typecast no longer exists. "Earlier, actresses were worried that playing mothers would define their careers. Today, filmmakers are writing far more layered and interesting female characters. I accepted The Family Man because it was a beautifully written role. That doesn't mean I will only play mothers. I simply choose characters that challenge me as an actor and help me grow," she says.

"When leading heroes have no hesitation in portraying fathers, it is only natural that actresses like Shruti Haasan, Nayanthara, Neha Shetty and now Srinidhi Shetty are equally open to playing mothers if the role is meaningful," adds Hemanth.