MARY KOM

A world boxing champion and a mother

- Ruchira Roy

As we celebrate the essence of Mother Divine this month, a wonderful film to reckon with is the eponymous Mary Kom, based on the life of six-time world champion Indian female boxer. The film checks many of the right boxes. For example, how often do you get to watch an Indian film that is female-led; based on a sportsperson who is not a cricketer; and is shot in a location that is not Bombay or any of the other urban cities and instead captures the scenic natural environs of Manipur.

The film gives you a glimpse into the kind of mental, physical fortitude and spiritual resilience Mary Kom has showed in her journey to winning six world championships. While watching the film you cannot but marvel at Priyanka Chopra’s performance who herself trained rigorously for four months to look and box-like Kom.