Knock Out ... and indeed the winner is MARY KOM !

Does the life of a woman in our country come to a pause, once she steps into motherhood?

Are all women with aspirations in our country blessed to have a self- assured man like Onler?

These are some core questions that the movie Mary Kom, subtly, touches upon.

Thankfully the movies run-time is 2 hours 4 minutes. Thankfully, because parking slots in malls charge more, after initial 3 hours. 

Secondly, because the movie grips you into the life of Mary Kom without being sluggish, like biopics sometimes do.

I am not sure, what the role of a creative director is in making a film of this scale, but I had my doubts; when I saw those candles lit up in the church in one of the scenes and Mary Kom getting herself hit by a street-fighter to get the cow back for her brother in another; that SLB definitely has some role to play apart from being the producer. 

But that doesn't undermine Omung Kumar’s directorial capabilities. Who very cleverly has not woven a story around a story but said it with simplistic crisp narrative. Though at times it may appear like quick jump cuts but it keeps the plot to the point and doesn't drift into cinematic liberty.

Priyanka Chopra is not someone to be named here at all, because she slips into Mary Kom and you kind of start liking her … Mary Kom… for her aggression. 

Miss Chopra surely would have spent enough time with Mary Kom for having able to emote her exact feelings, body language and language. Or simply let's be kind to her this time and accept it, that Miss Chopra has truly grown as an actor and she is not going to leave the rink before proving her mettle; because in the industry seldom do actresses find their footing back after enjoying marital bliss.... like Mary did in Boxing. 

Darshan Kumar (Onler) somewhere said that he is the true hero of the film, what he probably meant was; Onler is!

When Mary is moving towards the airport leaving the kids behind, he simply holds her hand, understanding her dilemma and letting her know without words, that he is there!

He is truly, in that sense, the hero of Mary Kom not because he, being a man, encourages her into following her dreams but simply because never does he proclaim that…. That one nuance; is what I really appreciate in this narrative which separates the urban metro-sexual man from being a self- assured Onler.

Just one regret, the movie hardly captures the beauty of the place where Mary Mom comes from. In all probability, to get our focus on the fact that for us city dwellers these places may appear like wonderful vacations but for people living there, its hardship!

Miss Chopra doesn't mind at all, the narrative starting with her being pregnant and having two babies, wearing a frayed vest, repeating boxer shorts and vests in certain scenes, to stick to reality. 

She brings out the aggression required by this sport, with her uncontrolled brawl with the roadside Romeo. At the same time, she highlights the control one needs to keep that aggression in check, with the getting bald scene.

Nothing is over played, not even the sensitive issues of the Place and if you are looking out for typical filmy boxing with slo -mo spit splashing action, you are in the wrong theater. In that respect it truly sticks to the title, and makes Mary appear human and not a superficial character. 

If not for the songs, than Mary Mom could easily pass of for a text book chapter on Mary Mom with beautiful crisp screenplay which ends at a time when you can see the pride in Mary’s eyes when the Indian Flag is being raised and we are requested to stand for the National Anthem. You realize the movie has come to an end, leaving us asking for more. Google could help.

The scene where the girl and her father fail to even recognize Mary Kom, brings to light the fact; how short lived fame stories  in our country are and you are as famous as your PR machinery makes you.

With A very well- known sports-man having just retired and his endorsement contracts almost vanishing from television, you actually believe it.

Fame comes at a price and many of us are willing to become famous but seldom are prepared to pay that price . . . like when Mary’s father asks her to choose between boxing and him, she chooses boxing.

But as a mother when it comes to making the choice, the mother wins or maybe the societal norm of our long standing belief that man are supposed to be bread -winners and women the bread -makers. It takes a PERSON like Onler to make her choose boxing again. . .where he so sweetly says, agar koi mera mazak udae toh parvah nahi, par tumhara majak nahi udna chahiye . . .  

Just in case there would be a little more Onlers, we would have many Priyankas and many more Marys in our country. . .

© Nozzer Pardiwala

*This is not a review of the movie.