mˈætɹəbhˌuːmi ɹᵻsˈiːvd wˈaɪdspɹɛd kɹˈɪɾɪkəl ɐklˈeɪm ænd wʌz ʃˈoʊn æt fˈɛstɪvəlz θɹuː tˈuː θˈaʊzənd θɹˈiː, ɪŋklˈuːdɪŋ ðə tˈuː θˈaʊzənd θɹˈiː vˈɛnɪs fˈɪlm fˈɛstɪvəl, wˌɛɹ ɪt wʌz pɹɪzˈɛntᵻd ɪnðə kɹˈɪɾɪkz wˈiːk pˈæɹəlˌɛl sˈɛkʃənz ænd lˈeɪɾɚɹ ɐwˈɔːɹdᵻd ðə fɪpɹˈɛskaɪ ɐwˈɔːɹd "fɔːɹ ɪmpˈoːɹtənt θˈiːm ˌɔn wˈɪmɪnz ˈɪʃuːz ænd fˈiːmeɪl ɪnfˈæntɪsˌaɪd hˈændəld wɪð sˌɛnsɪtˈɪvᵻɾi baɪ ɐ fˈɜːsttˈaɪm dᵻɹˈɛktɚ".
Matrubhoomi received widespread critical acclaim and was shown at festivals through 2003, including the 2003 Venice Film Festival, where it was presented in the Critic's Week (Parallel Sections) and later awarded the FIPRESCI Award "For  important theme on women's issues and female infanticide handled with sensitivity by a first-time director".