On last Sunday, my wife and I watched the Hindi movie "Mary Kom" at Vision Cinemas, K. H. Road. I paid around Rs. 170 for a ticket, which was OK, considering the prices in the other multiplexes. This blog post is my review of the movie and also a tribute to Mary Kom.
Of course, I have had a week to let my thoughts settle, but the initial favourable impression of the movie lingers. I commend the effort that Priyanka Chopra has put in to the role. The producer and director deserve credit for converting the autobiography of a remarkable and courageous Indian sportswoman. There are very few world champions that India has produced in sports and fewer still from the north-eastern part of India.
Mary Kom's website is at http://www.mcmarykom.com/ and provides some information about her background. Her real name is Chungneijang, but since that is quite a mouthful, it has been simplified to Mary Kom. The wikipedia link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Kom has more details, but my primary sources for information about her in this blog post are the web pages http://www.wban.org/biog/marykom.htm and http://www.readersdigest.co.in/mary-kom.
Mary Kom's autobiography is called "Unbreakable" and that title is justified. To reach the pinnacle of a sport is tough. To sustain the position of a world champion, five times over, demonstrates an unbreakable resilience and determination that would do anybody proud. Even as I write these words, I notice on the web that she has entered the Asian Games quarter finals. This is evidence that her will to fight and win continues to exist even today. She wants to win gold in the Rio Olympics and her husband is of the opinion that she could achieve it ! This never-say-die spirit is brought out in the movie, to some extent.
However, there are a few instances where the director Omung Kumar has (ab)used artistic license. From the sources mentioned, it appears that her parents are poor farmers, but in the movie it is indicated that her father is a wrestler. I don't know if he was indeed a wrestler, which may be indicated in her autobiography. Second, the movie pits a German boxer Sasha as Mary's nemesis, which is fiction. Third, there is no mention of the American coach who contributed to Mary Kom's career and the climax where Mary's son is being operated for a hole in the heart which co-incides with her final bout is untrue. When the reality of Mary Kom's life itself provides a lot of material for dramatisation, I find it strange that the script writer had to introduce situations in the movie to spice it up. In my opinion, that was unjustified. Actually, the web page http://www.sportskeeda.com/boxing/disregard-realism-mary-kom-forgettable-biopic indicates that Mary became world champion after motherhood in 2008, but her son's condition was diagnosed in 2011.
I feel that Mary Kom became world champion and retained the spot in spite of several odds stacked against her : first, the poverty of her family during her childhood ; second, the prejudice of Indian parents against girls taking up "physical" sports like boxing ; third, the facilities (or lack of facilities) for Indian sportspersons ; fourth, the issues in Manipur where she grew up with the state's problem of insurgency and relative isolation and finally, Mary Kom's own personal situation of marriage, domesticity and motherhood.
It is a tribute to her determination and resilience that she has not just overcome all these odds but excelled. It is her passion for boxing, her commitment and dedication, the natural talent that she was born with and the support that her husband has provided which has earned her the title of "Magnificient Mary" in 2006. The movie brings out some of her determination and passion, but not all the hard work and issues that she has faced, some of which is brought out in http://www.sportskeeda.com/boxing/disregard-realism-mary-kom-forgettable-biopic. Mary Kom's size belies her will. Her height of 5'2" and weight around 51 kg are made up by her indomitable will and fleetness of feet. Her initial interest in athletics must have played a part in her footwork in the boxing ring. The link http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/boxing/Mary-Kom-wins-fifth-successive-World-Boxing-Championship-gold/articleshow/6581776.cms?referral=PM shows how she used her strengths including the footwork, to win in 2010.
In the source mentioned earlier, Mary informs that her inspiration to take up boxing is the Manipur boxer Dingko Singh. I wish that this had been brought out in the movie. In cricket, Sunil Gavaskar was the role model for players like Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar himself became the role model for players like Sehwag and Kohli. Heroes in a particular sport and region become the inspiration for subsequent generations. Dingko Singh won the gold medal in the Asian Games in 1998, which proved to be a defining moment for Manipuri youngsters. Mary Kom took up boxing after Dingko Singh's triumph. She used to play athletics before that. Once Mary herself became a world champion, in turn she has become a role model for a new generation of Manipuri girls and boys. This process continues. I am sure we will have more women badminton players in years to come, following the example set by Saina Nehwal and P. V. Sindhu.
The movie shows how Mary got into boxing and was coached by Narjit Singh. In the movie, he remains her focal point for boxing. Again, in reality, the situation is different since three coaches have shaped Mary Kom's boxing career. The director Omang Kumar deserves credit for showing the conflict that Mary Kom faced. On one hand, her husband is happy and so is she, when they learn of her impending motherhood. On the other hand, she knows that she will have to give up boxing, at least temporarily. The conflicting emotions that she faces during this time, as she settles into domesticity are portrayed well by Priyanka. As her husband Onkholer, Darshan Kumaar has acted convincingly. The mutual respect between the two is brought out well by the director Omang Kumar. Her husband encourages her to take up the boxing gloves again after some time. The comeback of Mary Kom is the highlight of the movie.
India's sport administrators are often apathetic people. One such character is shown in the movie, making Mary Kom wait for a whole day to submit a written apology for an emotional outburst made during her comeback, after motherhood. The training scenes, particularly when she decides to come back after motherhood are good. Priyanka Chopra's effort is visible in these scenes and in the bouts which are picturised nicely. Later, Mary confronts the burueaucrat and angrily says that while he enjoys five star comfort during international tours, the sportspersons make do with sub-standard living conditions. As sportspersons become famous, the troubles reduce, but for the majority of sportspersons starting their career, basic needs expected are often left unfulfilled in India. This is the reality for the non-cricket sports in India and needs closer attention. I feel that things may have improved during the past few years due to increased private sponsorship, but as http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Asiad-bound-coach-gymnast-accused-of-harassing-girl-in-camp/articleshow/42671073.cms indicates, the exploitation of Indian sportswomen continues even now.
The editing in the movie is average. The movie begins with a pregnant Mary Kom just before giving birth to her twin sons. It goes into a flashback of her childhood and young age. I found that I was lost when the movie came back "into the present". Similarly, the bureaucrat gets an angry dressing down from Mary Kom just before the final during her comeback. Incredibly, a suitably penitent bureaucrat is shown supporting Mary a few scenes later !
The needless fictionalisation of Mary Kom's life and the average editing take away from the movie's appeal. I would not call this movie a bio-pic : "adaptation" is a better word. However, broadly speaking, the movie does capture Mary Kom's life and heroism, which redeem the movie. Coupled with a stand-out performance from Priyanka Chopra and a competent one by Darshan Kumaar, the movie is worth a watch to celebrate a remarkable champion's life. Certainly, with few real heroes worthy of emulation in India, this movie brings to light a champion with immense commitment to sport and a drive to excel, in Mary Kom. For this fact alone, the movie is worth watching.
Of course, I have had a week to let my thoughts settle, but the initial favourable impression of the movie lingers. I commend the effort that Priyanka Chopra has put in to the role. The producer and director deserve credit for converting the autobiography of a remarkable and courageous Indian sportswoman. There are very few world champions that India has produced in sports and fewer still from the north-eastern part of India.
Mary Kom's website is at http://www.mcmarykom.com/ and provides some information about her background. Her real name is Chungneijang, but since that is quite a mouthful, it has been simplified to Mary Kom. The wikipedia link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Kom has more details, but my primary sources for information about her in this blog post are the web pages http://www.wban.org/biog/marykom.htm and http://www.readersdigest.co.in/mary-kom.
Mary Kom's autobiography is called "Unbreakable" and that title is justified. To reach the pinnacle of a sport is tough. To sustain the position of a world champion, five times over, demonstrates an unbreakable resilience and determination that would do anybody proud. Even as I write these words, I notice on the web that she has entered the Asian Games quarter finals. This is evidence that her will to fight and win continues to exist even today. She wants to win gold in the Rio Olympics and her husband is of the opinion that she could achieve it ! This never-say-die spirit is brought out in the movie, to some extent.
However, there are a few instances where the director Omung Kumar has (ab)used artistic license. From the sources mentioned, it appears that her parents are poor farmers, but in the movie it is indicated that her father is a wrestler. I don't know if he was indeed a wrestler, which may be indicated in her autobiography. Second, the movie pits a German boxer Sasha as Mary's nemesis, which is fiction. Third, there is no mention of the American coach who contributed to Mary Kom's career and the climax where Mary's son is being operated for a hole in the heart which co-incides with her final bout is untrue. When the reality of Mary Kom's life itself provides a lot of material for dramatisation, I find it strange that the script writer had to introduce situations in the movie to spice it up. In my opinion, that was unjustified. Actually, the web page http://www.sportskeeda.com/boxing/disregard-realism-mary-kom-forgettable-biopic indicates that Mary became world champion after motherhood in 2008, but her son's condition was diagnosed in 2011.
I feel that Mary Kom became world champion and retained the spot in spite of several odds stacked against her : first, the poverty of her family during her childhood ; second, the prejudice of Indian parents against girls taking up "physical" sports like boxing ; third, the facilities (or lack of facilities) for Indian sportspersons ; fourth, the issues in Manipur where she grew up with the state's problem of insurgency and relative isolation and finally, Mary Kom's own personal situation of marriage, domesticity and motherhood.
It is a tribute to her determination and resilience that she has not just overcome all these odds but excelled. It is her passion for boxing, her commitment and dedication, the natural talent that she was born with and the support that her husband has provided which has earned her the title of "Magnificient Mary" in 2006. The movie brings out some of her determination and passion, but not all the hard work and issues that she has faced, some of which is brought out in http://www.sportskeeda.com/boxing/disregard-realism-mary-kom-forgettable-biopic. Mary Kom's size belies her will. Her height of 5'2" and weight around 51 kg are made up by her indomitable will and fleetness of feet. Her initial interest in athletics must have played a part in her footwork in the boxing ring. The link http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/more-sports/boxing/Mary-Kom-wins-fifth-successive-World-Boxing-Championship-gold/articleshow/6581776.cms?referral=PM shows how she used her strengths including the footwork, to win in 2010.
In the source mentioned earlier, Mary informs that her inspiration to take up boxing is the Manipur boxer Dingko Singh. I wish that this had been brought out in the movie. In cricket, Sunil Gavaskar was the role model for players like Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar himself became the role model for players like Sehwag and Kohli. Heroes in a particular sport and region become the inspiration for subsequent generations. Dingko Singh won the gold medal in the Asian Games in 1998, which proved to be a defining moment for Manipuri youngsters. Mary Kom took up boxing after Dingko Singh's triumph. She used to play athletics before that. Once Mary herself became a world champion, in turn she has become a role model for a new generation of Manipuri girls and boys. This process continues. I am sure we will have more women badminton players in years to come, following the example set by Saina Nehwal and P. V. Sindhu.
The movie shows how Mary got into boxing and was coached by Narjit Singh. In the movie, he remains her focal point for boxing. Again, in reality, the situation is different since three coaches have shaped Mary Kom's boxing career. The director Omang Kumar deserves credit for showing the conflict that Mary Kom faced. On one hand, her husband is happy and so is she, when they learn of her impending motherhood. On the other hand, she knows that she will have to give up boxing, at least temporarily. The conflicting emotions that she faces during this time, as she settles into domesticity are portrayed well by Priyanka. As her husband Onkholer, Darshan Kumaar has acted convincingly. The mutual respect between the two is brought out well by the director Omang Kumar. Her husband encourages her to take up the boxing gloves again after some time. The comeback of Mary Kom is the highlight of the movie.
India's sport administrators are often apathetic people. One such character is shown in the movie, making Mary Kom wait for a whole day to submit a written apology for an emotional outburst made during her comeback, after motherhood. The training scenes, particularly when she decides to come back after motherhood are good. Priyanka Chopra's effort is visible in these scenes and in the bouts which are picturised nicely. Later, Mary confronts the burueaucrat and angrily says that while he enjoys five star comfort during international tours, the sportspersons make do with sub-standard living conditions. As sportspersons become famous, the troubles reduce, but for the majority of sportspersons starting their career, basic needs expected are often left unfulfilled in India. This is the reality for the non-cricket sports in India and needs closer attention. I feel that things may have improved during the past few years due to increased private sponsorship, but as http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Asiad-bound-coach-gymnast-accused-of-harassing-girl-in-camp/articleshow/42671073.cms indicates, the exploitation of Indian sportswomen continues even now.
The editing in the movie is average. The movie begins with a pregnant Mary Kom just before giving birth to her twin sons. It goes into a flashback of her childhood and young age. I found that I was lost when the movie came back "into the present". Similarly, the bureaucrat gets an angry dressing down from Mary Kom just before the final during her comeback. Incredibly, a suitably penitent bureaucrat is shown supporting Mary a few scenes later !
The needless fictionalisation of Mary Kom's life and the average editing take away from the movie's appeal. I would not call this movie a bio-pic : "adaptation" is a better word. However, broadly speaking, the movie does capture Mary Kom's life and heroism, which redeem the movie. Coupled with a stand-out performance from Priyanka Chopra and a competent one by Darshan Kumaar, the movie is worth a watch to celebrate a remarkable champion's life. Certainly, with few real heroes worthy of emulation in India, this movie brings to light a champion with immense commitment to sport and a drive to excel, in Mary Kom. For this fact alone, the movie is worth watching.
Certainly, with few real heroes worthy of emulation in India, this movie brings to light a champion with immense commitment to sport and a drive to excel, in Mary Kom. I endorse the same sentiments of yours !
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