Mary Kom Director Omung Kumar Defends Priyanka Chopra's Casting In The Film, Says 'I Have Promoted Manipur'

Ever since weightlifter Mirabai Chanu emerged victorious at the Tokyo Olympics and the speculations surrounding her biopic became underway, many people were also reminded of boxer Mary Kom's 2014 biopic that starred Priyanka Chopra in the lead role. Not only that but some netizens went on to criticise that a Manipuri actress should have been cast in the titular role in the movie. However, now the director of the film Omung Kumar defended Priyanka's casting in the film.

According to a news report in Hindustan Times, Omung Kumar revealed to a publication that, "An actor can mould themselves into any character and that's what Priyanka Chopra did beautifully. That's why the film was so effective. I have promoted Manipur the way no one else has, and I am proud of it. I gave a lot of Manipuri actors inroads to Bollywood through the film. The film's reach also has to be considered while casting. We did look at a lot of Northeastern actors for the parts played by Priyanka and Darshan Kumaar too but no one suited the role. People think Darshan, who hails from Haryana, was from Manipur (laughs). So, if they suit the part, an actor can play any role. Amitabh Bachchan played Anthony Gonsalves without being Christian. If there is a South Indian character in the film, there's no hard and fast rule that states we have to cast a South Indian actor only in the role."

Earlier Manipuri actress Lin Laishram who also starred in Mary Kom had also stated how a North-Eastern actress should have been cast as the boxer in the film. Lin had revealed to the Free Press Journal saying, "I admire Priyanka for her hard work, she really put in a lot of hours in order to look like Mary Kom but I always felt that casting is an important step in film. I believe in authenticity and inclusivity, so a girl from Manipur or the North East could have been surely cast to represent us...When it comes to playing an achiever from the North East, a non-North Eastern person is chosen as seen in Mary Kom. On the other hand, why not cast people from North East also as normal Indians in all walks of life which we are."