The Blind Side to English Vinglish: Movies you should watch this Mother’s Day

Nobody deserves a celebration more than mothers! And what makes for a better gift than quality time with her? This Mother’s Day, we’ve curated a list of nine movies that you can stream today. You’ll find a movie for each taste on this list- there’s some tear-jerkers, some comedies and some musicals too. So curl up, grab some popcorn and get ready to unwind with your favourite person.

Directed by Ashwin Iyer Tiwari, Nil Battey Sannata is the tale of a mother-daughter duo who embark on a journey to change their social status. Apu (Riya Shukla) is an unmotivated student who needs tutoring that her mother Chanda (Swara Bhaskar) cannot afford. When Apu tells Chanda that she is destined to be a maid like the latter and that education won’t help her change her fate, Chanda takes it upon herself to educate herself and then tutor Apu. Nil Battey Sannata is a beautiful story of a mother trying to provide for her child.

Academy Award winner for Best Animated Feature Film, Brave is an animated adventure film. Merida, a rebellious archer, disagrees with her mother on many things - she does not wish to be ladylike and get married to a prince. But when a tiff with her mother results in a curse unleashing itself onto the family, Merida sets out to bring her mother back to normal. Over time, Merida realises that her mother always wanted the best for her.

Malayalam legal drama film C/O Saira Banu is the story of the eponymous character played by Manju Warrier. She is a post woman who is leading a blissful life with her adopted son Joshua, till he gets involved in a hit-and-run case. This leads to his imprisonment but Saira, knowing that her son is innocent, fights tooth and nail in court to bring him justice.

This Malayalam comedy-drama film stars Shobhana in the role of Neena, a single mother who is hustling to provide for her daughter. She teaches classical dance and is trying to get hired as a French tutor. Soon, sparks fly between her and a Major Unnikrishnan (Suresh Gopi) who moves into her building. Though the story focuses on the love story, it also highlights that relationships are not easy, especially with family - Neena’s daughter and her get into a fight that only gets resolved when the former realizes how much her mother loves her, even if it feels like the opposite sometimes.

A retelling of real events in the life of Michael Oher, The Blind Side is a biographical sports drama film. Sandra Bullock plays the role of Leigh Anne Tuohy, who is the adoptive mother of the African American football player. She helps him find an opportunity to play and supports him in his journey to combat prejudice. Bullock’s performance moved the audience and won her the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role in 2010.

Mani Ratnam’s Tamil musical war film Kannathil Muthamittal revolves around Amudha, a young girl who finds out that she is adopted and sets out on a journey to find her birth mother. Simran plays the role of Indira Thiruchelvan, Amudha’s adoptive mother and Nandita Das plays the role of Shyama, her birth mother. The film received six National Film Awards and is a touching tale of motherhood and war.

Gauri Shinde’s English Vinglish is the story of Shashi (Sridevi) who is a caterer and a housewife. She is mocked by her family for not knowing English and though she masks it well, they often succeed in making her feel inferior. When the family has to attend a wedding in New York, Shashi joins an English class with immigrants from all around the world. She makes wonderful friends, but more importantly learns English and stuns her family with her fluency and confidence in the end, who apologise for having taken her for granted.

Meryl Streep and Amanda Seyfried make a wonderful on-screen mother-daughter duo in Mamma Mia. This musical romance film is set in Greece, where Donna (Streep) is surprised when Sophie (Seyfried) secretly invites three of Donna’s old flings to the day of her wedding. One of these men is Sophie’s father and to Donna’s frustration, Sophie digs to get to the truth. A heartwarming narrative filled with some of ABBA’s best tunes, Mamma Mia is sure to make this Mother’s Day extra special.