From Bhuvan Shome to Lagaan: Suhasini Mulay’s Unlikely Journey to Playing Bhuvan’s Mother

When Suhasini Mulay first walked onto a set in the late 1970s, she could barely have imagined that a few decades later she’d be remembered as the tender mother of Bhuvan, the cricket‑loving farmer in Lagaan. The actress, now in her late sixties, looks back with a blend of nostalgia and gentle disbelief.

“I started out doing theatre and a few experimental films,” she recalls, chuckling. “Bhuvan Shome was one of the first directors who gave me a chance, even if it was just a small role in a short. It taught me that cinema could be a conversation, not just a spectacle.” That early exposure to Shome’s meticulous storytelling planted a seed – an appetite for honest, grounded characters.

Fast forward to 2001, when director Ashutosh Gowarikar (Aamir Khan’s cousin) began scouting for actors who could embody the rustic charm of a 19th‑century Indian village. The casting team was relentless, hopping from one remote hamlet to another, hunting for faces that looked like they’d lived the hardships the script demanded.

“I was at a coffee shop in Mumbai, reading the script that had just landed on my desk,” Suhasini explains. “The line about Bhuvan’s mother struck a chord. She’s a woman whose love is quiet but fierce, someone who keeps the family afloat while the world changes around her.” She sent in a tape – a simple, unadorned monologue about a mother’s hope for her son – and waited.

According to the director, the tape was enough. “When we saw her, there was an instant recognition. It wasn’t about fame or star power; it was the rawness she brought, the same authenticity that Bhuvan Shome championed years ago,” Gowarikar says. The role, though brief – a handful of scenes – became one of the film’s emotional anchors.

On the set of Lagaan, Suhasini found herself among a sprawling ensemble, from Aamir Khan to veteran character actors like Gulzar. Yet the atmosphere felt intimate. “The entire crew treated every extra like a lead,” she notes, smiling. “Even during long shooting days under the scorching sun, there were moments of laughter – someone cracking a joke about the cow that kept wandering onto the field.”

She also mentions a small but memorable incident: a costume mishap where the traditional sari she wore kept slipping. “The costume designer ran over with a safety pin, and we all had a good laugh. It reminded me that behind the grandeur of a period drama, there’s always that human side,” she says.

When the film finally premiered, the audience’s reaction to the brief yet poignant scene of a mother whispering blessings to her son was overwhelming. “I never expected a few seconds on screen to stay with people for years,” Suhasini admits. “It’s humbling. It proved that even the smallest role can echo loudly when it’s done with sincerity.”

Looking back, she credits that early lesson from Bhuvan Shome: “Never underestimate the power of a simple, honest performance. Whether you’re in a documentary or a big‑budget epic, the truth of the character matters more than anything else.” Today, when she’s asked about her next project, she simply smiles and says, “I’ll keep answering the call, wherever it leads. Maybe I’ll be Bhuvan’s mother again – who knows?”