Ahilyabai was born on May 31, 1725 in the village of Chaundi, in the present-day Ahmednagar district in Maharashtra. Her father, Mankoji Shinde, was the patil of the village, a member of the proud Dhangar community. Women then did not go to school, but Ahilyabai's father taught her to read and write.

Subbamma (Tara), third wife of Chandre Gowda (Girish Karnad), is a rebellious mistress of the household and encourages sporadic acts of defiance against men from among her women friends.