Bollywood
To really tell Kom's story, we're going to need a braver and more talented film industry. We'll need writers who do more than string together episodes and who are loyal to their subjects rather than paymasters. We'll need directors who don't flounder nervously with the reality that ours is a country riddled with biases, scarred with violence and yet able to inspire patriotic pride in the very people who are often victimised. We'll have to wait for actors who choose films because they're excited by the role and the script, and not because it will be a star vehicle for their singular selves.
Whether it's a lack of talent or inclination, the film Mary Kom shows Bollywood is not yet mature enough to tell India's stories. Its capacity is limited to nuance-less tearjerkers that just earn money for all concerned. Kumar and Qadras can't tell you why sports is such an integral part of life and culture in so many parts of the North East, where insurgency lives shoulder to shoulder with the concrete patriotism of athletes (and soldiers) who fight for the nation in different arena. Forget the larger context,Mary Kom fails to even capture its hero properly. After two hours of a movie ostensibly about Kom's boxing, you'll be hard pressed to tell what characterises her style.
Omung Kumar's Mary Kom is a bland film that quickly becomes boring because there's no tension in the story. But it has Priyanka Chopra. That was enough for those who financed the film because they believe that's all you, the audience, want. Perhaps it will be enough for you too, but if you're interested in Kom's real story, read Unbreakable.The autobiography Kom wrote may not be comprehensive or literary, but it is more honest, brave and fun than the film made in her name.
Whether it's a lack of talent or inclination, the film Mary Kom shows Bollywood is not yet mature enough to tell India's stories. Its capacity is limited to nuance-less tearjerkers that just earn money for all concerned. Kumar and Qadras can't tell you why sports is such an integral part of life and culture in so many parts of the North East, where insurgency lives shoulder to shoulder with the concrete patriotism of athletes (and soldiers) who fight for the nation in different arena. Forget the larger context,Mary Kom fails to even capture its hero properly. After two hours of a movie ostensibly about Kom's boxing, you'll be hard pressed to tell what characterises her style.
Omung Kumar's Mary Kom is a bland film that quickly becomes boring because there's no tension in the story. But it has Priyanka Chopra. That was enough for those who financed the film because they believe that's all you, the audience, want. Perhaps it will be enough for you too, but if you're interested in Kom's real story, read Unbreakable.The autobiography Kom wrote may not be comprehensive or literary, but it is more honest, brave and fun than the film made in her name.
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