Mary Kom

Mary Kom is a 2014 Indian Hindi-language biographical sports film based on the life of the eponymous boxer Mary Kom, directed by Omung Kumar and produced by Viacom18 Motion Pictures and Sanjay Leela Bhansali. The film stars Priyanka Chopra in the lead role, with newcomer Darshan Kumar and Sunil Thapa in the supporting roles of her husband and mentor, respectively, and depicts Kom's journey from becoming a boxer to her victory at the 2008 World Boxing Championships in Ningbo. The film marks the Hindi playback singing debut of Chopra, who provided her vocals for a song named "Chaoro" (a Meiteilon lullaby). Mary Kom was developed by the writer Saiwyn Quadras, who suggested the storyline to Kumar when Kom was not a familiar name in India despite her numerous achievements. Kumar met Kom to ask her permission for the film, before her bronze medal victory at the 2012 Summer Olympics, which brought her recognition. Chopra underwent extensive physical training for four months to attain a muscular physique and learned the sport and Kom's distinct boxing style. Principal photography started in June 2013 at Filmistan, where the boxing sequences were filmed. After plans to shoot in Kom's hometown, Manipur, were dropped due to safety concerns, Mary Kom was shot in Dharamshala and Manali, where a major portion of Manipur was recreated. The film premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival, becoming the first Hindi film to be screened on the opening night of the festival. Made on a budget of ₹38 crore (US$3.9 million), Mary Kom was released on 5 September 2014 to generally positive reviews with praise for Chopra's performance. Upon its release, the film recorded the highest opening weekend of all time for a female-led Indian film. The film was a box office success, grossing ₹86.19 crore (US$9.0 million) at the box office. Mary Kom is also ranked among the highest-grossing Indian films led by a female actor. Mary Kom received several accolades at award ceremonies across India. The film won the National Film Award for Best Popular Film Providing Wholesome Entertainment and was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Film and Best Actress for Chopra. Additionally, Chopra won the Screen Award and the Producers Guild Film Award for Best Actress in a Leading Role.