Given Bollywood’s love for biopics, it won’t be long before one is announced on Indian weightlifter, and now Olympic silver medallist, Saikhom Mirabai Chanu. While Chanu’s inspiring journey would certainly make for an interesting watch, the casting is what interests actor Adil Hussain more.

Explaining the reason, the actor cites how Mary Kom, the 2014 movie made on the life of the boxer from Manipur, saw Priyanka Chopra Jonas portray her. Hussain has maintained ever since that an actor from the Northeast should have been cast in the lead role. “This isn’t at all a judgment on Priyanka, she’s a very accomplished artiste. I’m saying that the Hindi film industry lost an opportunity,” says the actor, who hails from Goalpara, Assam.

Hussain, 57, explains that it was a missed chance to introduce some “amazing faces” from the remote parts of the country to the masses. “If someone makes this movie, I’m sure they’d be more imaginative and cast someone from the Northeast,” he hopes.

The Pareeksha (2019) actor believes that this would be the industry’s chance to redeem itself. He adds, “I hope they make the right choice. They should make the film so well that they don’t have to invest in a star, like Ang Lee did in Life Of Pi (2012).”

He feels that Chanu’s achievement is very crucial, as it gives hope to people in the Northeast the most. “Northeast is always neglected by mainland India — politically and economically. We’re still to be looked at as a part of India by a lot of people, who think that people from Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Mizoram are Chinese,” admits Hussain.

He adds, “One of Chanu’s coaches had described her as the most dedicated and hard-working person. That’s the quality of our people. When they want something, they do it. I feel emotionally charged.”