Khan was inspired by American author Pearl S. Buck and her books "The Good Earth" (1931) and "The Mother" (1934); he also saw the film "The Good Earth" (1937), directed by Sidney Franklin. "The Mother" chronicled the life of a Chinese woman, including her married life and lonely struggle after being abandoned by her husband. Aspects of "Mother India", such as moneylenders, toiling on land, and rearing children through hardship were part of the story. Khan originally drew upon these influences in making his 1940 film "Aurat", the original version of "Mother India". Khan bought the rights of "Aurat" from the production company National Studios for 35,000 (valued at about US$7,350 in 1957). Stylistic elements of "Mother India" show similarities with Vsevolod Pudovkin's Soviet silent film "Mother" (1926); "Our Daily Bread" (1934), directed by King Vidor; and films of Alexander Dovzhenko. Certain imagery in the film, such as "happy farmers, sickles in their hand, smiling from behind ripening crops", resemble posters by Soviet constructivist artists.