1957 · Film
Mother India
Mehboob Khan's Hindi epic drama about Radha, a poor village woman who struggles to raise her sons while trapped in debt to a cunning moneylender.
Reviewed by Movie Mandala, Sun, 18 Oct, 2026
Where to watch
IndiaAs of 18 October 2026, Mother India is streaming in India on Prime Video with a subscription.
With subscription
Needs the Eros Now channel add-on on Prime Video (₹199 a year); not included in a standard Prime membership
Checked Sun, 18 Oct, 2026Open ↗
The story
In 1957, as a new irrigation canal reaches her village, the elderly Radha is invited to open it, and she remembers her life since her wedding. Her mother-in-law borrowed money for the marriage from the moneylender Sukhilala, and the loan's harsh terms leave Radha and her husband Shamu handing over most of every harvest as interest. Working rocky land and raising their young sons, the couple face accidents, hunger and floods, while Sukhilala's hold over the family keeps tightening.
Spoiler-free: only the set-up.
Who it suits
A sweeping, nearly three-hour rural drama for viewers interested in landmark Hindi films and stories of hardship and sacrifice. It includes deaths, a flood, poverty and some violence, so it suits teenagers and adults best.
Curation to help you choose, not a review.
Background
Mother India is Mehboob Khan's remake of his own film Aurat (1940). Its title answers Katherine Mayo's 1927 book Mother India, which attacked Indian society. It was shot at Mehboob Studios in Mumbai and in villages in Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh, with music by Naushad.
The film premiered at Liberty Cinema in Mumbai on 25 October 1957, during Diwali, and ran there for over a year. Box Office India estimated its gross at ₹8 crore, the highest for an Indian film until Mughal-e-Azam (1960). It was India's first submission for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and was nominated, losing to Nights of Cabiria. It won the Filmfare Awards for Best Film, Best Director for Khan and Best Actress for Nargis, who also won Best Actress at the Karlovy Vary festival. It is one of three Hindi films in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
The facts
- Language
- Hindi
- Hindi
- Hindi original
- Genre
- Epic drama
- Runtime
- 172 min
- Director
- Mehboob Khan
- Cast
- Nargis, Sunil Dutt, Rajendra Kumar, Raaj Kumar, Kanhaiya Lal
Questions people ask
- Where can I watch Mother India in India?
- As of 18 October 2026, Mother India is streaming in India on Prime Video with a subscription.
- Is Mother India in Hindi?
- Yes. Mother India is a Hindi-language film.
- How long is Mother India?
- Mother India runs for 2 hours 52 minutes (172 minutes).