Priyanka Chopra reflects on her role in Mary Kom and says the role should be played by a Northeasterner. She added that while she was hesitant to make the film, she did so because she was “greedy as an actress.”
Directed by Omung Kumar, Mary Kom is based on the life of the Manipur boxer of the same name, who has won the country a number of accolades, including an Olympic medal and multiple world championship trophies. The film was released in 2014.
Priyanka told Vanity Fair: “When I played Mary Kom, I was skeptical at first that I would accept it, because she was a living, breathing icon who made a difference for so many female athletes. Out of location. Plus, I don’t look like her at all. She’s from North East India, I’m from North India, and our bodies don’t look alike. In hindsight, this part probably should have been someone from the North East. But As an actor, I was just greedy for the opportunity to tell her story because she inspired me a lot as a woman, as an Indian woman, as an athlete. When the filmmakers insisted I do it, I It’s like, ‘You know what? I’ll do it.’” Priyanka said she prepared a lot for the film, from getting intense boxing training to spending time with Mary and her family. “I went to meet Mary, I spent time at her house, I met her kids, I met her husband. I had to spend almost five months training to learn the sport, by the way One word, it’s not easy…and physically changing my body to be an athlete. So physically, it’s really tough, mentally, it’s really tough. Because my body doesn’t look like it Like her, so I decided to embody her spirit. So, I spent a lot of time with her so she could tell me what her choices were and why she made them,” she said. Its casting sparked controversy, with some calling the decision to choose Priyanka over the Northeastern actor “racist.”
Mary Kom won the National Award for Best Popular Movie for Wholesomeness in 2014. Priyanka’s performance has also won several awards, including the Screen Award, the Producers Guild Film Award, and the Stardust Award.
Complete News Source : Hindustan Times
