“It Fills Me With Immense Joy”: Sudhir Mishra on Directing Veteran Actor Waheeda Rehman as Mahatma Gandhi’s Mother in His Next

Waheeda Rehman comes on board alongside Manoj Bajpayee and Saurabh Shukla for a deeply personal chapter on India’s independence history, which is directed by Sudhir Mishra, produced by Anubhav Sinha and Narendra Hirawat under A Benaras Mediaworks production, and presented by NH Studioz.

Filmmakers Anubhav Sinha and Sudhir Mishra are bringing together a powerhouse cast for their upcoming project, which explores a lesser-known 21-day chapter from Mahatma Gandhi’s life. With National Award-winning actor Manoj Bajpayee stepping into the iconic role of Gandhi, the makers have now added another name to the film – cinema icon Waheeda Rehman.

Waheeda Rehman has joined the cast to play Putlibai, the mother of Mahatma Gandhi. Her inclusion brings immense emotional depth to a story that focuses not just on history, but on the quiet, personal choices of a leader. Honoured with the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest civilian honour, and a National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance in Reshma Aur Shera (1971), Waheeda Rehman’s career is packed with timeless classics like Guide, Pyaasa, Kaagaz Ke Phool, Teesri Kasam, and Khamoshi. Seeing her step into such an important and grounded role alongside Manoj Bajpayee marks a truly special moment for Indian cinema.

Speaking about having the legendary actress on board, director Sudhir Mishra shared: “It fills me with immense joy to say that Waheeda Ji is going to be a part of this project! I have such a deep and personal connection with films like Pyaasa, Sahib Bibi Aur Ghulam, Kaagaz Ke Phool and Guide. I grew up watching these films, mostly on the big screen, and they have stayed with me in ways I can’t quite put into words. I still can’t quite believe that someone who has been a part of these legendary films is now going to be a part of a project I’m directing. It feels incredibly special and surreal. It is an absolute honour to have her in this film.”

Producer Anubhav Sinha added: “What an incredible honour it has been to sit and talk about movies in general with Waheeda ji, and this one in particular where Sudhir and the script convinced her to be back on set.”

With two masters of their craft coming together and a talented ensemble cast bringing this historic era to life, the film is poised to be an unmissable cinematic event. By blending a deeply personal human story with the scale of India’s independence, this ambitious venture promises to offer audiences a fresh, intimate, and moving perspective on a chapter of Indian independence history they only thought they knew.

The film is directed by Sudhir Mishra and features Manoj Bajpayee and Saurabh Shukla in key roles. The film is produced by Anubhav Sinha and Narendra Hirawat under A Benaras Mediaworks production and presented by NH Studioz.