In 1999, while Bollywood saw hits like ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain‘, ‘Biwi No. 1‘, and ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam‘ dominate cinemas, one film quietly stood out. Despite being a box-office flop, this National Award-winning drama, based on the life of a female don, has since gained cult status for its gripping story and stellar performances, captivating audiences even decades later..

The film is based on the life of Santokhben Jadeja, famously known as the “Lady Killer” and the “Godmother.” Hailing from Porbandar, Gujarat, her life inspired the 1999 film Godmother, starring Shabana Azmi. Santokhben’s name struck fear across the city—she earned the notorious title of “Lady Killer,” became the first female MLA from Porbandar, and made her mark in the world of crime.

The film ‘Godmother‘ was released on September 3, 1999. Directed by Vinay Shukla, it starred Shabana Azmi, Milind Gunaji, Nirmal Pandey, and Govind Namdev in lead roles. Reema Sen and Sharman Joshi also played important roles. The music was composed by Vishal Bhardwaj, with lyrics by Javed Akhtar. The story was also written by Vinay Shukla.

Santokhben’s story begins in 1980. To avenge her husband’s death and ensure the safety of her children, she entered the world of crime. In 1980, Santokhben’s husband, Sharman Munja Jadeja, was a labourer at Maharaja Mill. The mill workers went on strike, and Sharman Munja was the union leader. Mill owner Nanaji Kalidas Mehta contracted local gangster Debu Baghera to end the strike. Gangster Debu Baghera arrived at the mill with lakhs of rupees. Sharman Munja murdered Debu and became the king of the criminal world.

He then came into contact with social worker Pandurang Shastri and left the world of crime. In 1986, Kalia Keshav, a local gangster in Porbandar, had Sharman Munja murdered due to an old rivalry and threatened Santokhben. To protect her children, Santokhben entered the world of crime. The local Mehar community supported her, and she formed her own gang.

Santokhben avenged her husband’s death by wiping out the Kalia Keshav gang, committing 14 murders. After carrying out such a large-scale killing spree, Santokhben became the lady don of Porbandar and was called “Godmother.” People embraced Santokhben as their saviour. In 1990, the Janata Dal gave her a ticket in the Gujarat Assembly elections, and Santokhben became an MLA.

The film ‘Godmother‘ had a budget of Rs 2.25 crore and grossed Rs 3.10 crore worldwide. Although it was a flop, when it aired on TV and YouTube, people loved its story. Today, the film has achieved cult status. It won six National Awards and received 10 awards on various platforms.

‘Godmother’ won Best Feature Film, Best Music Direction, and Best Editing. Veteran actress Shabana Azmi, who played Santokhben, received the National Award for Best Actress. Sanjeev Abhyankar received the National Award for Best Playback Singer for the song “Suno Re Suno Re Bhaila,” and lyricist Javed Akhtar received the award for Best Lyrics.

Santokhben was feared in 1996 when she was arrested for the first time in connection with a case by police officer Satish Sharma. She remained in jail for 16 months. After her release, she moved to Rajkot. In 2005, she was arrested again for the murder of a BJP councillor. In 2006, a bloody conflict began in Santokhben’s own home. Her son, Karanbhai Jadeja, murdered his sister-in-law, Rekha. In January 2007, her nephew was also murdered. Santokhben’s son, Kandhal Jadeja, is carrying on his mother’s legacy. He has been the MLA from the Kutiyana seat for two consecutive terms, winning the 2022 elections on a Samajwadi Party ticket.