Some relationships are shaped not just by blood ties, but by struggles and sacrifices that leave lasting imprints on people’s lives. Before Vishal Jethwa made his mark with projects like Mardaani, Salaam Venky and Homebound, there was a woman quietly holding everything together, his mother Preeti Jethwa. From working as a caterer to selling sanitary pads, undergarments and saris after her husband’s passing, her focus remained singular: ensuring her children received the education and opportunities that she never had.

For Vishal, the moment that captures her journey most vividly is one his mother often recalls. Preeti says, “Jab maine Salaam Venky ka woh poster dekha jahan mera beta Kajol ki god mein soya hai, meri aankhon mein aansu aa gaye the. Jin actors ki filmein dekhne ke liye kabhi paise nahi hote the, aaj unke saath mera beta kaam kar raha hai. Woh feeling bohot alag thi.”

Speaking about his bond with his mother and how Mother’s Day has evolved over the years, Vishal says, “I have always believed that I don’t need just one day to celebrate my mother. I love and respect her every day. But now I feel ki Mother’s Day par aur thoda zyada celebrate karna chahiye. It may not be grand, but I try to make the day extra special by planning surprises for her. This year I won’t be able to spend Mother’s Day with her because my shoot wraps up on May 12, but I’ve still planned something special for her.”

For Vishal, making his mother feel special today is deeply tied to the memories of the life they once lived in Mumbai. Recalling his humble beginnings and early years, he says, “I was very young when my father sold coconut water. He also sold groundnuts outside bars, and I would help him pack them. I still remember sitting in our room making those packets. Tab hum masti mein karte the.”

Life changed drastically after his father suffered a heart attack and passed away in 2008, leaving the family to navigate severe financial struggles. Preeti recalls, “My husband and I had come to Mumbai from Gujarat with just Rs 100 that he borrowed from my mother. We were financially very weak. I wasn’t educated, so my husband taught me embroidery and machine work. When he passed away, there was no support system. Ghar bohot mushkil se chalta tha. I worked as a caterer, sold sanitary pads, undergarments and saris. Maine thaan liya tha ki mere bachche paise ke liye kisi dukaan par kaam nahi karenge. I wanted them to study and become what they wished to.”

Responsibility, too, came early for Vishal. He says, “After my father passed away, people would tell me, ‘Ab tu ghar ka bada beta hai, tujhe zimmedaari sambhalni hai.’ I didn’t fully understand it then, but gradually I realised that if we don’t look after each other, who will?”

Preeti remembers there was also a phase when repeated auditions and rejections made her worry for her son. She says proudly, “Vishal’s biggest strength is his patience and perseverance. Ek aisa time tha jab bohot audition ho rahe the aur maine ek hi baar usko bola tha ki jaane de nahi ho raha hai toh. He would always tell me, ‘Main karunga, sab hoga.’ People around us would question his career choice, saying, ‘Acting mein kya rakha hai? Industry mein kaun hai iska?’ But he proved everyone wrong.”

The actor admits his understanding of his mother’s sacrifices deepened only after he began studying acting. He says, “My guru, Shoaib Khan sir, taught me many life lessons, and that’s when I truly understood the value of a mother and the sacrifices my mom made for us.”

One of the biggest qualities Vishal wishes to inherit from his mother is her ability to take decisions and act on them fearlessly. He says, “Woh decision leti hai aur uss par kaam karti hai. Sometimes, I struggle to make decisions, but mummy has always been clear and action-oriented.”

Today, his biggest goal is to give his mother the comfort she once sacrificed for him. “I want her to travel comfortably, enjoy life and stay stress-free. We tease her, ‘Mummy ka ab raajyog chaalu ho gaya hai.’ After everything she has gone through, she deserves to enjoy every bit of her life,” he says, adding, “My mother has always been a fighter, and now I want her to live like a queen.”

Ahead of Mother’s Day (May 11), filmmaker Amar Kaushik opens up about the woman who ignited his storytelling spark — his mum Shashi Kaushik. Known for directing Stree (2018), Bhediya (2022) and Stree 2 (2024), Amar wholeheartedly credits his debut short film Aaba (2017) to her real-life experiences and talent.

“It was literally my mother’s story... She had just arrived from Chandigarh and, during dinner, she narrated a story from her life. It struck a chord. I stayed up all night thinking about it, and the next morning, I told her I wanted to make a film on it,” the 41-year-old tells us. Aaba went on to win the National Award and 67 international accolades.

”Currently wrapping up his production Thama with actor Ayushmann Khurrana, Amar is going to channel those childhood memories into his most ambitious project yet — Mahavatar, starring Vicky Kaushal: “It’s based on those very stories and is heavy on VFX. After Stree 2, I finally have the means to bring this vision to life.”

Though they spend most of their time in different cities, Sharmila Tagore and Soha Ali Khan will meet virtually today on Mother’s Day, and that too, for a good cause. They will be donating clothes from their closet for an auction, the proceeds from which will be used for animal welfare and social causes. In a chat with BT on this special day, Soha talks about what she has learnt from her mother’s journey as a parent and how that’s helped her in her own, while raising daughter, Inaaya Naumi Kemmu. Excerpts:

We have been associated with this group’s initiatives for a while now. This initiative gives us a chance to encourage the philosophy of pre-loved articles. It gives us a chance to look through our cupboards and put what we’re probably hoarding for years to good use. Someone will find some joy in them. The proceeds will be used for animal rescue programmes and other social causes. Giving brings its own kind of joy and peace. This is a good way and a good time to start giving back to society in some way.

Being a mother is a life-changing experience. Motherhood changes you profoundly. Once you become a mother, things are never the same. The centre of your world changes...a part of your heart goes out of your body in the form of another living being. It’s incredibly humbling and magical to see how you create life. You might think the child is half you and half your partner, but they are 100 per cent their own people. It’s fascinating to see that my daughter, at her age, has her own, unique personality. Our job as parents is to help the child become what they want to be, without forcing our dreams on them. Of course, you have to intervene as and when needed, but even with the best intentions, you have to take a backseat and let them become who they want to be

By the time I was born, my parents had super busy careers and were known as star achievers. Mom, by then, had begun to wind down her career.

When I was a little girl, she was away to shoot Mississippi Masala for about three months. I would write her a letter every day. My father would collect them and post them every Sunday to her. When I was shooting in Delhi recently, Inaaya would make video calls whenever she wanted to see me and speak to me. We didn’t have that option back then. My mother had once said that it was hard for her to be a working mother. You’re almost always hard on yourself. There were so many occasions when we wouldn’t be together on her birthday or one of our birthdays, because of her work schedule. But we would not hold it against her. Instead, we celebrated when we got the time with her. Around the time I was born, my dad had become a stay-at-home father, moving his engagements at home. It’s not like we always saw our father going to work and mom at home. We actually saw the reverse — dad was with us and mom would be away for her work. Since an early age, it taught us that mothers have their own dreams, ambitions and careers, too. It taught us that we should create a supportive environment for that. Amma and I have holidayed, been on car trips and played word games together. My parents were particular that the time at the dinner table was for conversations with family — no reading books or anything else. It was about spending quality time together. I am glad I had a role model in my mother who taught me that it’s okay to have a career and dreams along with having children.

My mom is wise. As daughters, sometimes, the last person you want advice from is your own mother, especially when it comes to being a mother. You want to find solutions to your problems, and have an identity of your own as a parent. Sometimes, you even fight against their advice because what they did in their time may not be applicable anymore. When I became an actress, and I was asked if my mother ever advised me, and I had quoted Amma then, she had said, ‘There is one captain of the ship. Your director.’ Similarly, when I became a mother, she told me that my pediatrician is the captain of the ship when it comes to medical advice, and I should turn to the doctor when the need arises. Inaaya, Amma and I were in Pataudi recently, when I got into an argument with my daughter. Inaaya was not interested in listening to me. My mother was right when she said that you can’t win against a three-year-old. You need to empathise with the child at that moment. Later, you can explain these things to her when she is in the space to listen. She was right about that and many such things. I love the fact that my mother is never overbearing when it comes to giving advice.

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; May 10, 2020)

This year, Mother’s Day is going to be unlike any other. Most of us will be making the most of our time at home with our moms. And those who are currently far away from their mothers, will possibly be doing video chats with them. Kriti Sanon is among the fortunate ones, as she is with her mom in her Mumbai home during the Coronavirus lockdown. The actress proudly tells us about how her mother, Geeta, was the first woman in their family to get a job and how she forged her way ahead by fighting patriarchal stereotypes.

Kriti shares, “My mother, a Physics professor, completed her PhD after I was born. My grandparents would say, ‘Kya karogi itna padhayi karke, naukri karke?’, but she never relented. And thank God that she didn’t, because whatever I have imbibed from her has made me what I am, today.”

The Luka Chuppi actress says that she has also drawn her strong ideas of feminism from her mother. She adds, “I think my values, thoughts, opinions, a lot of it comes from my mother. She has been an empowered person. She stood up for herself and never gave into bias or discrimination. She would question rules and rituals and would never follow them until they made sense to her. If I am a feminist today, that’s because I have learnt to stand up for myself from my mother. She supported me in my choices. She wanted to learn singing, but wasn’t allowed to. So, she didn’t want me to give up on my dreams. Despite being an academically-inclined person herself, she let me pursue my Bollywood dreams once I completed my B-Tech, because she did not want the world to tell me that I couldn’t do what I wanted to.”

For Kriti, maa ke haath ka khaana can match none other, but for Mother’s Day, she has planned to reverse the role and indulge her mom with freshly-baked chocolate tarts and a lovely home-cooked meal dished out by her sister Nupur and her.

On Mother’s Day, new mom Shilpa Shetty Kundra talks exclusively to us
Juhi Chakraborty (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 10, 2020)

For actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra, this Mother’s Day is particularly momentous. After all, it will be her first celebration with daughter, Samisha, who was born on February 15 via surrogacy. Her son Viaan turns eight this year, and the actor says she has been celebrating being a mum everyday for eight years.

“You can’t be taught being a mother. It’s something I’ve begun to understand. You do things to the best of your knowledge, sensibility and ability,” she says.

While news of Samisha’s arrival was a surprise for many, Shetty calls it the best time ever. “I took 15 days off before Samisha came into the world. And fortunately for me, I got all this time to spend with her, given the lockdown. For the last few months I’ve been doing everything; from giving her massages to feeding her,” shares the actor, adding it was destiny, her son’s prayers and his desire for a baby sister that brought Samisha to their lives.

“A lot of Viaan’s friends have siblings and he always missed that. He’d ask both Raj (Kundra, husband) and me ‘Why don’t I have a sibling?’ We visit Shirdi once every year and for the past three years, he’d pray for a sister. When we got the news that we were blessed with a girl, it felt surreal,” she gushes.

Not just Viaan, Shetty, too, always wanted a second child and, more specifically, a daughter. And while the actor and her husband both grew up with sisters for siblings, the actor says even she was hoping to have a daughter. “We did try for a long time. But I had a lot of complications. I also did try for adoption but something went wrong. Surrogacy was an option which I chose and it was actually the last option. We finally had Samisha, which is a blessing,” says the 44-year-old, adding, “Having a daughter is the best thing on the planet, really. I don’t expect that my son would call me 20 years down the line every day, but I know that my daughter will,” Shetty concludes.

Sonia Lulla (MID-DAY; May 10, 2020)

That Mother's Day has arrived amid the Coronavirus lockdown this year is only as inopportune as it is befitting. After all, few could have had a better first-hand account of the panache with which she maintains the physical and emotional well-being of the entire family, even when isolated with them for months, within the confines of four walls. Among the many artistes to pay tribute to mothers is Anushka Manchanda, who has released a single, Thanks Maa, that streams on Resso.

"When the pandemic struck, a lot of us began to reflect on how vulnerable we feel. We look to our family and loved ones for support and the single most important person we tend to depend on are our mother. Whether they are away, or at home with us, they give us so much support and comfort. In times like this, it's even more important to let them know how grateful we are for them."

Manchanda says that composer Charan Singh Pathania has captured the essence of what she wanted to say. "I wanted the song to be joyful while capturing the emotional bond we share with our mothers," says the singer.

Titas Chowdhury (HINDUSTAN TIMES; May 9, 2020)

“When I became a mum, my first thought was that I just could not fail. I knew that this was one test I was going to ace… as this really was a question of life and wasted life,” says actor Kajol.

The actor believes that her kids (daughter Nysa, 16, and son Yug, 9) have positively impacted her as a person and as an actor. “My children make me want to be a better person and sometimes a more fun one. Being a mum added a lot to who I was, and it has only made me a better actor,” she says.

The 45-year-old, in her signature candour, shares why her children have not watched many of her films. “Both my kids love to watch films but haven’t seen many of mine. Firstly, because I haven’t made that many, and secondly, according to them, I cry too much and I make them cry too,” she says.

Ask her about her bond with her mother, veteran actor Tanuja, and she says, “My mum and I always had the best relationship, and it has only gone from strength to strength. We don’t discuss whether I should do a film or not. It has always been my decision from the age I was 16. My mum gave me a lot of advice, and I didn’t listen to any of it till I reached a problem. And then her advice would ring in my ears and I knew what the right thing to do was.”

Sharing a message ahead of Mother’s Day, Kajol says, “The one thing that your children will remember forever is how you loved them. All the scolding, the feeding and the care will be forgotten. So, don’t forget to make them feel loved every single day.”

Ayushmann Khurrana has lined up a special surprise for moms on Mother's Day
Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; May 9, 2020)

The stay-at-home period has given Ayushmann Khurrana a breather from his acting commitments to pursue other creative hobbies. Over the past few weeks, he has often shared poems about life during the Coronavirus lockdown, the valour of the frontline workers and other subjects he holds close to his heart. The actor has lined up a special surprise for moms on Mother's Day tomorrow — he will be launching the single, Maa, that he created with friend and frequent collaborator Rochak Kohli.

Though the duo had developed the song years ago, they rendered it only recently amidst the lockdown. "The spirit of motherhood has always amazed me, and I am glad to celebrate this ever-nurturing force through the song. Rochak and I will be singing this track together. It is an honour to dedicate it to mothers who selflessly shape our lives," says Khurrana. The number has been penned by Gurpreet Saini.