What’s it about:
I was slightly alarmed when I heard about Mary Kom’s run-time being a little over two hours. To package a living person’s story convincingly in that short duration seemed like a Herculean task to me. But as I walked out of the theatre I realised that I had under estimated Omung Kumar’s directorial prowess and boy was I glad to be proven wrong! Mary Kom is a story not just for suppressed women seeking inspiration to break away from the shackles of patriarchy, stereotyping and discrimination; it is a story for every Indian who ever harboured an impossible dream. Through Priyanka, Omung chronicles the journey of a headstrong toddler who picks up a boxing glove and wants to learn the sport on a whim and later transforms into a determined World Champion. Mary Kom is gritty and inspirational therefore it is one of the most important films of this year.
What’s hot:
Priyanka is a revelation, she never fails to surprise! Just when you thought she can’t push the boundaries after Barfi!, came Mary Kom to prove you wrong! PC doesn’t just take on the role of Mary she becomes Mary. She is certainly one actor who doesn’t do a half-baked job when it comes to delivering a performance. But credit must also be given to Kumar for making Mary Kom an authentic narrative by paying attention to minute details like clothes, props and locations in the film. Special mention to Sunil Thapa who plays PC’s trainer in the film for his performance is engaging. Darshan Kumar as Mary’s husband K Onler Kom does decent job for his debut but gets overshadowed in every frame he shares with Priyanka. The music is spot on. Kumar plays the national anthem right at the end of the movie leaving you high on patriotic sentiment.
What’s not:
While the pace of the plot is satisfactory it runs the risk of beings sketchy at times. During the first half it moves back and forth in time making the narrative a tad bit jarring. It almost seems as if viewers are being made to rush through the story without pausing and pondering at certain places. It isn’t exactly unethical but the director largely depends on the audience’s patriotic sentiment to evoke the response he needs. The heavy doses or drama with a dash of Bollywood romance makes this bio-drama slightly distance itself from reality at times. Awkward product placement in the movie stand out as a sore thumb. Notwithstanding these loopholes, Mary Kom, the inspirational drama will prove to be a huge crowd-puller of the season, and rightly so.
What to do:
Box your way to the nearest theatre if you have to because PC has won our gold medal for this one!