In this entertaining and insightful examination of the film classic, Gayatri Chatterjee outlines "Mother India's" eventful production history, the ambitious vision of its director, and the brilliance of its stars. She also analyses its epic-style narrative, the mythological underpinnings, the many references to the history of a country in transition, and its relation to post-Independence culture and politics, to show why "Mother India" is a cornerstone of Indian cinema.