Does physical resemblance matter in a biopic? Youwere criticised for not looking like Mary Kom.

I have said fromday one that I don’t look anything like Mary Komand that I don’t have her features. But one thing that made me feel betterwas when Mary, in an interview, said: ‘ Even after Manipur has produced so many champions for India, people still ask if Manipurwas a part of India. So I would rather have Priyanka, who’s a North Indian, playme than someone who comes fromKorea or China. I’m an Indian and she’s fromIndia too’. It was such a profound statement to make andmy responsibility of playing her part increased. ased. It was harder forme to play her because I didn’t have [ a] crutch that I looked like her to fall on. But I absorbed her personality into this role. I know Mary Kombetter than anybody does. I am grateful that she chose me to be her face and her voice to tell her story. Onmy part, I have triedmy best to represent her because I share that same sentiment about being an Indian.

I hope after this film, Indians become more accepting. We are the only nation in the world that’s unique and secular despite having many religions and languages. With this film, I hope the stereotype of what people want to watch changes. When somebody from South India comes to Hindi films, some assume that they can’t make it or vice versa. Is it because they don’t physically look like us? You are premiering the film tonight at Toronto International Film Festival. Your thoughts?

Tiff is a prestigious film festival and I feel privileged that a Hindi film with a female protagonist is opening the festival. I amlucky that they chosemy film afterwatching it and I don’t know many Indian films [ that] have been a part of the opening night but I feel extremely happy. I amso proud that we got there. changed me. It made me realise that even if I returned home bruised and physically p in pain every nightwondering nightwonde if I can continue, Iwas up the next day willing to give it a try again. Being slowand steady helped us finish this film. It made me realise that you can be unstoppable, but you need to take one day at a time. The film changedmy outlook. With her late father, Ashok Chopra, 2010. and her mother Madhu in What does tomorrowhold for you?

I want to play different roles and when people watchmy films I don’t want them to think that they are watching the star Priyanka Chopra. I want them to forget who I am. I am working on Zoya Akhtar’s Dil Dhadkne Do which is different from Mary Kom. It’s an incredible ensemble. Zoya is a fearless woman with a great story to tell. She’s unapologetic about who she is and I love that about her. After that, I begin work onmy first production with Madhur Bhandarkar, Madamji. I ambad with numbers but I have an amazing team who will do that for me.