MUMBAI, INDIA – This year, DCM Shriram Foundation, in collaboration with EFGH Brand Innovations and filmmaker Titus Upputuru, delivers a hauntingly beautiful reminder of the invisible struggles faced by thousands of expecting mothers in rural India. Released under the Foundation’s flagship program Khushali Sehat, the film is both a love letter to mothers and a call to action on the challenges posed to maternal health in India.
Told through the eyes of Mohan, a field worker supporting the Foundation’s Mobile Health Units (MHUs) – the narrative is grounded in reality. Mohan is not just a bridge between healthcare and rural women. He’s also a son carrying the grief of losing his own mother during childbirth, a loss that echoes in every village he visits.
The story hits its emotional peak when Mohan encounters Rani, eight months pregnant, whose life is in quiet jeopardy due to dangerously low hemoglobin levels. As Mohan grapples with the trauma of his past, a conversation with the attending doctor of the MHU offers him comfort – that his work is saving lives, and helping others avoid the loss he experienced.
Aman Pannu, President, DCM Shriram Foundation, said “At DCM Shriram Foundation, we believe that the health of a mother defines the future of a family and the strength of a community. Through Khushali Sehat, we are focused on making quality maternal care accessible in remote regions. This Mother’s Day, we reaffirm our commitment to reducing maternal health risks and ensuring every mother’s right to safe and dignified care.”
Emmanuel Upputuru, founder of EFGH and the writer behind the film, said: “The idea began with a simple yet profound question: How does a child who has lost his mother celebrate Mother’s Day? For me, it was deeply personal — I lost my mother at 19, and ever since, I find a part of her in every mother I meet. The story wrote itself from there – Titus did the rest of the magic.”
Titus Upputuru, the director of the film said, “For those of us who lost our mothers early in life, it’s not easy dealing with the few, rare memories. When Emmanuel shared the idea of someone being haunted by his mother, I immediately loved it. I really commend DCM Shriram for this initiative and all the workers, doctors, nurses, along with the Ashas, working so hard at the grass root level to help bring the Maternal Mortality Rate down.”
