My Mother India is a passionate film told by the child of a mixed marriage and set against the tumultuous backdrop of modern Indian history. With an Indian father who collects kitch calendars, an Australian mother who hangs her knickers out to dry in front of the horrified Indian neighbours, a grandfather who was a self-styled Guru and a fiercely man-hating grandmother - it is no wonder that Safina Uberoi made a film about her family! What begins as a quirky and humorous documentary about an eccentric, multicultural upbringing unfolds into a complex commentary on the social, political and religious events of the anti-Sikh riots of 1984, which tore this family apart.
Safina studied film at the Australian Film Television and Radio School in Sydney and the Mass Communication Research Centre, New Delhi. She has directed various documentaries including the highly acclaimed ‘My Mother India’ and ‘The Brides of Khan’ for SBS television, and ‘Faith’ for the Dailai Lama’s Foundation for Universal Responsibility. Safina’s work in drama includes a feature length interactive animation for children ‘The Serial Shaver’, and short films ‘Nonno Peppe is a Video Head’, ‘Guru’ and ‘Glass’.
Safina has worked in the theatre as an actor and choreographer. She has curated several film festivals showcasing popular Indian cinema and taught film and television at a number of institutions. She is an Honorary associate of the Media and Communications Department at the University of Macquarie, Sydney.