Mary Kom says Priyanka Chopra starrer biopic was ‘not real’: Boxing champion dismisses idea of a sequel after Bigg Boss 20 exit

Boxing champion Mary Kom has spoken out about the 2014 film based on her life, saying that the Priyanka Chopra starrer failed to capture the reality of her journey and the hard work behind her sporting achievements. Days after her exit from Bigg Boss 20, the Olympic medallist said the film showed only a small part of what she had gone through during her career.

Speaking to The Indian Express, Mary was asked whether she would like a sequel to the biopic. She dismissed the idea, pointing out that her journey had already been covered in the film and her autobiography, Unbreakable.

“However, the biopic was not real. I felt some parts of the story were not real. Only 10 percent of my struggle and hard work was shown in it,” she said.

Mary Kom on her book

The boxer suggested that people looking to understand the difficulties she faced should read her autobiography rather than rely only on the film. While the movie brought her sporting journey to a wider audience, she believes it left out much of the effort that went into building her career.

“If you read the book, only then can you see my struggle and hard work,” Mary said.

She also spoke about her hopes for the future, saying she wished for a happier and more peaceful life. Addressing questions about whether she would find love again, Mary said the decision would be hers to make when the time came.

What Priyanka Chopra said about playing Mary Kom

Released in the year 2014, the biopic named Mary Kom was directed by Omung Kumar and starred Priyanka Chopra as the Manipuri boxing champion. The film's story was about Mary's journey to become a world champion and it brought her sporting achievements and personal life to the big screen.

Priyanka had won the National Film Award for Best Actress for her performance. However, the casting had raised questions about representation, given that Mary is from Manipur and Priyanka is from northern India.

In a 2022 interview with Vanity Fair, Priyanka acknowledged that someone from the Northeast should probably have played the boxer.

“In hindsight, the part should have probably gone to someone from the Northeast,” she said.

The actor also explained that admiration for Mary's achievements had influenced her decision to take the role. She trained for nearly five months to learn boxing and change her physique for the part, and spent time with Mary and her family to understand the choices behind her journey.