Kirron Kher @ 65: Five memorable maternal roles she’s essayed

Kirron Kher is an actress many will recall for her mother roles in popular films and otherwise. Although she also has a successful political career, on-screen she’s always remembered as a very talented supporting actor who brings so much to each role she plays.

BizAsiaLive.com reflects on five of the maternal characters she’s played which will always stay in our memory.

‘Devdas’ (2002)
In Sanjay Leela Bhansali directed ‘Devdas’, Kher played the role of the mother of Paro, essayed by Aishwarya Rai Bachchan. In the film, she is the one person who doesn’t want the marriage between Paro and Devdas to go ahead after she feels humiliated at being rejected when she takes the marriage proposal to his family, knowing her daughter has been waiting for him for so many years.

‘Veer-Zaara’ (2004)
In Yash Chopra’s ‘Veer-Zaara’, Kher took on the role of the mother of Zaara, played by Preity Zinta. She is an important part of Zaara’s decisions but the one scene that stands out in that film is when she goes to meet Veer separately. It is both heart-warming and poignant in the film, given that she’s going to meet a man who is from another nation. She knows what it means for them to fall in love and she still chooses to go and meet him without anyone knowing.

‘Main Hoon Na’ (2004)
Who can forget Kher’s role as Zayed Khan’s mother in ‘Main Hoon Na’ who welcomes Major Ram (Shah Rukh Khan) into her home and treats him as her own without knowing that he is her late husband’s child from another woman. Her bond with him is something that really warms your hearts and her open heart after she gets over the initial shock of his identity is also very touching.

‘Dostana’ (2008)
You will be forgiven if the one thing you remember about Kher’s role in ‘Dostana’ is the song Maa Da Ladla and for her Phulo Phalo dialogue which comes in the song. In the film, she plays Abhishek Bachchan’s mother who genuinely believes her son and John Abraham are partners when they actually both hold a light for Priyanka Chopra. Kher’s comedy in the film is perhaps what achieves some of the biggest laughs from the audiences.

‘Kurbaan’ (2009)
In ‘Kurbaan’, Kher’s role is particularly interesting and harrowing. She looks after all the wives of the husbands planning a terror attack and she is resolute about why Jihad is something the wives should prepare for. She has that maternal respect within the group but is also “brainwashed” so to speak about what to do ahead. This is different to what the audience had seen Kher play before and therefore it is effective within the entire film.

BizAsiaLive.com would like to wish Kirron Kher a very happy birthday.