Is she dressed in a pristine white sari?
Does the expression on her face read sad, stern or solemn?
Will she burst into a dramatic dialogue any minute?
The mere mention of 'Ma' in Bollywood evokes a highly austere, melodramatic imagery.
Except it's not the only representation of the filmi mum. Some of them are keen dressers lending a glamorous dose of mamta on silver screen.
With Mother's Day around the corner, we thought of looking at how Bollywood's mommy fashion has evolved from Achala Sachdev to Aishwarya Rai Bachchan.
Achala Sachdev, Kal Aaj Aur Kal
A far cry from the weepy, white-clad Mom of the 1960s, Sachdev embraces the 1970s spirit in bold oversized glasses and bright, colourful prints to tell off daughter Babita's brash boyfriend.
Nutan, Saajan Ki Saheli
To play Rekha's haughty mom in Saawan Kumar Tak's convoluted drama, Nutan dumps her cotton saris to slip into slinky gowns and hip jumpsuits.
Shabana Azmi, Masoom
The acclaimed actress cuts an elegant picture in a gorgeous floral sari and makes even a monotonous task like knitting seem like the most exciting activity on this planet.
Reema Lagoo, Hum Aapke Hain Kaun
Desi and demure, sanskari and stylish, Reema Lagoo sure knows how to play the fabulous filmi mom to the hilt.
Rekha, Mother
Whether she's playing mother or grandmother, trust Bollywood's ultimate diva to keep it glossy.
Karisma Kapoor, Biwi No 1
Lolo's kanjeevaram-clad Bhartiya nari as mother of two and wife of a philandering husband provides stiff competition to Sushmita Sen's sizzling It girl in Biwi No 1.
Hema Malini, Baghban
If you thought senior citizen screen mums are all about pooja-path and prasad, Hema Malini's dazzling, dancing avatar in Baghban begs for a rethink.
Jaya Bachchan, Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham
And even if she's big on devotion like Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan's doting mother in K3G, there's no reason she can't pray like Jaya Bachchan in Manish Malhotra's shiny saris.
Preity Zinta, Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna
Just because she's got a kid in elementary school doesn't mean PZ can't look the part of a hotshot fashion magazine editor.
Sridevi, English Vinglish
A stylish mum on screen and off it, Sridevi drapes herself in the prettiest Sabyasachis to attend English-speaking classes in NYC.
Dimple Kapadia, Luck By Chance
Rishi Kapoor may dub her 'a crocodile in a chiffon sari' but his Bobby co-star portraying a flattery-loving yesteryear actress ready to launch her star daughter in Zoya Akhtar's directorial debut is a treat for sore eyes.
Kareena Kapoor, Ra.One
When the phrase yummy mummy was coined, they probably had Ra.One's super trendy Kareena in mind.
Rani Mukerji, Ta Ra Rum Pum
Cool, casual, fun, the modern-day mummy keeps things fuss-free like Ms Mukerji in this Cinderella Man rip-off.
Kajol, We Are Family
Bet her cousin Kajol agrees.
Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Action Replayy
As Aditya Roy Kapoor's stylish, sophisticated mom in the time-travel catastrophe Action Replayy, Ash proves to be quite a stunner even at 60.
Bipasha Basu, Aatma
Colour coordinated mommy-daughter pairs are the cutest, insists Bips and her reel-life poppet.
Ratna Pathak Shah, Khoobsurat
Royalty doesn't always translate to conservative or over the top; it can be exclusive yet achievable like Ratna Pathak Shah's in Disney's Khoobsurat remake.
Shefali Shah, Dil Dhadakne Do
Rich, ritzy, diamond-flashing, high-society mothers are a class apart, asserts Shefali Shah's in Dil Dhadakne Do.
Tabu, Fitoor
Old school glamour hits many a dramatic notes when not just beti Katrina Kaif but kitschy sensibilities come face to face with Tabu's innate swag.
