Back in 2014, actress Priyanka Chopra portrayed boxing champion Mary Kom in her biopic and while the film was a commercial success, Priyanka's casting was criticised as people thought someone from North-East should've played the part. In her recent interview with Vanity Fair, Priyanka also admitted that Mary Kom's role belonged to someone from the North-East. The actress also explained why she took up the role.

Priyanka said, "When I played Mary Kom, I was very sceptical taking it on in the beginning because she was a living, breathing icon and she made place for so many female athletes. Plus, I look nothing like her. She comes from the northeast of India and I am from northern India and we physically didn’t look alike. In hindsight, the part should have probably gone to someone from the northeast."

However, Priyanka was so inspired by Mary Kom's life that she couldn't let the opportunity slide. "But I was just greedy as an actor to get a chance to tell her story, because she inspired me so much, as a woman, as an Indian woman, as an athlete. When the filmmakers insisted I do it, I was just like, ‘You know what? I’m going to do it'," said Priyanka.