Teji Bachchan: The ‘Third Mother’ Sonia Gandhi Cherished, And Nehru’s Secret Theatre Guest
Teji Bachchan, wife of poet Harivansh Rai Bachchan and mother of Amitabh Bachchan, was a cherished figure bridging the Bachchan and Nehru-Gandhi families. Sonia Gandhi fondly called her her “third mother,” a bond forged when Sonia stayed at Teji’s home before marrying Rajiv Gandhi in 1968. Although Sonia’s own mother, Paola, came from Italy for the wedding, it was Teji who lovingly guided Sonia through the Hindu wedding rituals, becoming like family.
Teji’s friendship with the Gandhis began at Anand Bhavan, where Sarojini Naidu introduced her and her husband as “Kavi and Kavita” to Indira Gandhi. Later, during the Emergency period, despite her close ties, Teji maintained independence — famously refusing to attend a rally post-Emergency, reportedly angering Sanjay Gandhi and causing a rift between the families.
An accomplished theatre artist, Teji once performed in a Hindi version of Shakespeare’s Othello, translated by her husband. On one occasion in New Delhi, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru slipped in quietly to watch her act, only to be invited by Teji to take the front row seat.
Amitabh Bachchan described his mother as the personification of grace and beauty, recalling her landmark inter-caste marriage as akin to that of Indira and Feroze Gandhi — both groundbreaking unions in their time.
