Shoojit Sircar wants to make a film on boxer Mary Kom

Having directed stories on unconventional subjects ranging from sperm donation (Vicky Donor - 2012) to constipation (Piku - 2015), Soojit Sircar is a sportsperson at heart. And if he ever decides to make a film on an athlete, the filmmaker says, he has just one name in mind, “Mary Kom” – the Olympic medal winning boxer.

Sircar says he first met Mary Kom during the shoot of a three-minute ad commercial. “She’s an extraordinary athlete. The first time I interacted with her, I was clean-bowled by her personality. She came [with her] two daughters, and the way she was preparing herself for the role…,” he shares.

Asked if he has seen Omung Kumar’s film Mary Kom (2014) based on the life of the boxer, and if he intends to again explore a subject that’s recently filmed, Sircar says, “No, I haven’t seen the film. But I would want to [make a film on her]. I think Mary Kom should be an international star. I still feel a lot is left to be said about her.”

In fact, Sircar feels a story like hers deserves a bigger reach. “Making a film on her means the international audience should be watching it... It would move the world. You can make a story again; that’s your interpretation. Shakespeare has been made [in] million interpretations; [So] as long as I can engage the audience, that’s fine.” He’s still not sure when he’ll make the film. “...But I really want to... She’s one of the few people you really get inspired by.”

THE FILMMAKER HAS NOT SEEN THE EARLIER BIOPIC MADE BY FILMMAKER OMUNG KUMAR, BUT IS CONFIDENT HE CAN TELL KOM’S STORY DIFFERENTLY