Mary Kom says Priyanka Chopra's biopic showed 'only 10 per cent' of her struggle, rules out sequel

When Mary Kom, starring Priyanka Chopra came out in 2014, it was celebrated as a landmark sports biopic. Twelve years later, Kom feels the film, as substantial as it was, barely scratched the surface. In an interview, after her eviction from the Salman Khan-hosted Bigg Boss 20 on Saturday, the boxing champion was blunt about how her life had been portrayed on screen.

“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 told Indian Express, adding that only her book shows the full picture.

A celebrated film, a disappointed subject

The film was directed by Omung Kumar and produced by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, with Priyanka Chopra in the lead role. It traced Kom’s journey from a village in Manipur to international boxing rings. Along the way it covered her marriage to Onler Kom, her comeback after becoming a mother, and her battles with a sports system that offered women boxers little backing. Chopra’s physical preparation for the part drew wide praise. The film was a commercial hit and won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment.

It was also unusual for its time: a big-budget Hindi biopic about a female athlete who was still competing. When it released, Kom was a five-time world champion and had won bronze at the 2012 London Olympics.

Kom says the real account of her life is in Unbreakable, her autobiography. She has no interest in a follow-up film. Between the movie and the book, she feels her story has already been told, and the public knows it well enough.

As for what comes next, she said she hopes for a peaceful and happy future. Asked whether there might be room for love in her life, she said that is a decision she will make on her own terms.

Showing the 'real' Mary Kom

The same wish to be seen accurately is what drew her to Bigg Boss 20. Kom said she had followed the show for years and wanted to try the format herself. She also wanted viewers to see her as a mother and an everyday person, not only an athlete, and to prove wrong those who assumed she couldn’t cook or manage a home. She maintained that she was herself throughout, saying no one could fake their personality for seven weeks.

Her stay in the house had its difficulties. After a strong start, she struggled with the strategic side of the game and mostly kept out of fights, which led to criticism that she wasn’t contributing enough. Kom said the language barrier hurt her: her limited Hindi sometimes made her statements sound wrong, and she felt some contestants exploited that. She described feeling disrespected at times, including during an argument with Uditi and a remark by Mahhi that upset her. In the end, she said, she understood that provoking others was part of the game, and she chose not to play it that way.

Her exit from the show also comes as her ex-husband has reportedly filed a defamation suit against her.