Showing posts with label Onler Kom. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Onler Kom. Show all posts
Meet Darshan Kumaar, Priyanka Chopra’s screen husband in Mary Kom
8:53 AM
Subhash K Jha (DNA; September 8, 2014)
He played the character of Onler Karong Kom, Mary
Kom’s screen husband in the biopic. Darshan Kumaar lost 12 kgs to look
convincing for the part. But for the Jat actor from Delhi, the struggle
paid off. Critics and audiences have applauded his performance.
Says the excited actor, “I had to go on a strict grilled chicken and oil-free fish protein diet for three months. I was made to have seven small meals every day. I ended up looking so gaunt I couldn’t recognise myself in the mirror. But the effort seems worth it when women come up to me to say they want a husband like me. That feels good. It means my character works within the film’s context. Now I need to regain some weight as I’ve become too skinny. But I want to keep my six packs.”
Darshan made a valiant effort to look convincing as Onler. “It was a challenge. But I was ready for it. I’ve been doing theatre for 10 years. My acting guru is Naseeruddin Shah. Everything I know about acting I’ve learnt by watching him. At his age, he is so energetic and passionate about his work. He was my inspiration for all the hard work I put in to play Onler.”
On Teachers’ Day Darshan showed Mary Kom to his guru. Naseer’s words of praise meant the world to him. “I waited for Naseer saab to see my film. I’ve trained under him for 10 years. What better Teachers’ Day gift for me than to show my labour of love to my guru?”
Darshan says he likes to spend time with creative people. “Whether it is Naseer sir or Sanjay Bhansali sir, just being with them is such a learning experience. I feel like a student whenever I’m with them.” He is deeply excited by the response to his performance. “All the hard work seems to have paid off. I remember I had to audition in three different looks representing three different stages in Onler’s character. I first had to look like the very young student besotted by Mary Kom, then the mature man who marries her. I also went through screen tests with Priyanka Chopra to see how compatible I looked with her. But finally it all seems to come together.”
The gifted young actor has also completed work on Navdeep Singh’s NH10 where he is cast in a negative role. Not willing to divulge much about his role in Anushka Sharma’s production, Darshan says, “All I can tell you is that I play a character very different from the one in Mary Kom. In fact quite the opposite. In NH10, I am aggressive, insensitive and insufferable. Not the kind of guy any girl would want to marry.”
So who’s Darshan marrying in real life? “I’m married only to my work,” he says.
Mary cried seeing the film, but I didn't as I have a strong heart-Onler Kom
7:54 AM
Priya Gupta (BOMBAY TIMES; September 3, 2014)
Mary Kom, 32, is a fighter
all the way. She is strong but emotional, feisty but demure, has a
boxer's body but is equally as fashionable as Priyanka Chopra. This five
times world champion did the impossible when she made her first
comeback after having her twins and winning the bronze at the Olympics
and now, she has once again done that having been just selected for the
upcoming Asian Games, post her third child. I met her along with her
husband Onler Karong Kom just before they were headed to Patiala for the
selections for the Asian Games and she was unable to hide her anxiety
and desire to play for her country once again. She had stayed several
months without her children, building her body and preparing for this.
Over an hour-long conversation with her and her husband Onler
exclusively to the Bombay Times, she speaks about her feelings after
seeing the biopic Mary Kom made on her, her protector and best friend
Onler and her dream of winning a gold at the Olympics. Excerpts:
There
are very few sportspeople on whom a film has been made and you are one
of them. How did you feel seeing the film?
Seeing the film, I was reminded of all the difficulty and struggle I went through and all the hard times. Everyone was watching the film, but Omung Kumar sir was sometimes watching me to see my reaction. Two times I cried. Once, when I was felicitated in my village on becoming the World Champion and the second, when I had to leave my kids in the hospital when they were just four to go and play in China.
Onler, did you cry also?
I could make out that Mary was crying, but I did not cry. I have a strong heart. It really touched me, but still I controlled myself. I did not want people around me to see me crying, so I was controlling. I am emotional inside, but cannot show. Even when I am angry, I don't show it. I don't normally get angry easily, but once I am hot, it's finished.
Mary, tell us about your childhood?
My parents always wanted me educated, but I was only interested in sports.I would be the only girl playing with the boys on the field. No other girl played football or any other game.They would kick me out and say, 'Don't come. You are a girl. Go and do some housework.' But I would always be trying to request them to allow me to join them. Some senior boys would allow me, so I got to play. While my father would not say anything, my mother would often fire me to come and do other housework. But I would always help both my parents in whatever work they did. I somehow managed to finish my B.A. but always wanted to be a top sportsperson.
Mary, how did you meet Onler?
I got into boxing when I was 17 and got married to him when I was 25. At that time, he was 32. I am more emotional. He may be emotional inside, but I don't get to see his emotions on his face. I cry easily. I was in Delhi in a camp at the Nehru Stadium hostel and had been selected for the World Championship. Onler was living with his cousin and was preparing to give the exams for the Civil Services and was the student Union President of his community. He got to know through the newspaper that one of the persons from the Kom community had got selected for the world championship and he came to meet me.
Onler, why would you go and meet a stranger?
She was the only one from our community. Being the student union president of my community, I thought it is was my duty to go and see if she was comfortable and if she needed anything. Kom is a small tribe. I would bring her home food as she was in a hostel. She, along with her friend from Mizoram, would come to my cousin's place every Sunday to eat meat with us. I met her in 2001 and then in 2003, I was just thinking that if I get married to her, she will be more comfortable and I can openly help her. As a friend, people would look at us and think in a very different manner. I knew that she needed someone to look after her career and her finances and most importantly, look after her. She had so many disturbances financially, morally and risk from other boys in the profession, who would disturb her. Some people wanted to disturb her career and I thought that if she agrees, we could get married. I said, 'Mary, will you agree if I ask your hand in marriage? It is very simple. If you agree, you can reply to me after one or two months on my proposal.' From that day, she was just not normal and I could see that something was happening in her mind. She came home and decided to ask me, 'If I said yes, will you allow me to continue my games?' I said, 'That is the reason I am getting married to you.' We then started planning on how we would tell our parents and in 2004, we got married.
Onler, what do you like the most about Mary?
I like that she is very open, humble and down-to-earth. I proposed to her even though we were not dating. I have this principle that I have to love my wife and I have to be loved by my wife because God has granted her as my wife and me as her husband. And we cannot take this very lightly. We both believe a lot in God. Mary reads the Bible all the time in her room, whenever she gets free time.
And Mary, what do you like the most about Onler?
I love him the most in the world, as he is always caring about me all the time. Caring is important for us, as women we are not very safe. I can save myself from one person attacking me, but can't save myself from two persons attacking me and the environment. Also, there is always politics in selection and somewhere at such times, you will have enemies as someone has to be selected and someone rejected. He has till date never said, 'I love you,' even though we have three children. On the music launch, Priyanka Chopra and Omung sir forced him, so that is the first time he said those words to me.
Mary, how safe is it for you to live in Manipur?
Onler lost his father in 2007 when he was shot by a gunman. There are areas where it is unsafe. We also don't know. Night is not safe. The UG (Underground as they are called) only want money. My house guard is there and I go everywhere with him. After becoming a world champion, I have a job at the police department in my state. Right now, they are fully supporting my sport but later, after retiring from sports, I will work in that job.
As a mother, do you feel scared of getting hurt when you fight?
No. I never get scared of getting hurt and keep getting bruises on my head, lips and forehead.
You are already the World Champion 5 times. What more?
I want to be a sportsperson all my life, not to earn more money or fame, but still want to play and enjoy that. The main goal is to fight in the next Olympics. In the last Olympic games, I have not completely fulfilled my dream as I won a bronze. I want to win a gold.
Mary, what was the lowest point in your life?
When I could not give my family all the time. When my twins were just one year old, I left them, to go to camp to train for several months. I could not afford an air ticket to come back to Manipur to see them even once. I would be missing them all the time so needed to be strong and concentrate on my practice. But I needed to take up the challenge of being able to get back despite being a mother.
One of Bollywood's leading ladies Priyanka Chopra is portraying you on screen. How does that feel?
She is the right person to play me as she has a strong body structure so when I thought who could play me, I felt she was the only one. She is very friendly, open, simple and is very nice. I like her very much and thank her for taking this role. As a child, I watched so many movies and could never have dreamt that one day a film would be made on me. I liked Amitabh Bachchan's sir boxing in Sholay film.
Onler, do you have a favourite actress?
I always liked Rekha.
Seeing the film, I was reminded of all the difficulty and struggle I went through and all the hard times. Everyone was watching the film, but Omung Kumar sir was sometimes watching me to see my reaction. Two times I cried. Once, when I was felicitated in my village on becoming the World Champion and the second, when I had to leave my kids in the hospital when they were just four to go and play in China.
Onler, did you cry also?
I could make out that Mary was crying, but I did not cry. I have a strong heart. It really touched me, but still I controlled myself. I did not want people around me to see me crying, so I was controlling. I am emotional inside, but cannot show. Even when I am angry, I don't show it. I don't normally get angry easily, but once I am hot, it's finished.
Mary, tell us about your childhood?
My parents always wanted me educated, but I was only interested in sports.I would be the only girl playing with the boys on the field. No other girl played football or any other game.They would kick me out and say, 'Don't come. You are a girl. Go and do some housework.' But I would always be trying to request them to allow me to join them. Some senior boys would allow me, so I got to play. While my father would not say anything, my mother would often fire me to come and do other housework. But I would always help both my parents in whatever work they did. I somehow managed to finish my B.A. but always wanted to be a top sportsperson.
Mary, how did you meet Onler?
I got into boxing when I was 17 and got married to him when I was 25. At that time, he was 32. I am more emotional. He may be emotional inside, but I don't get to see his emotions on his face. I cry easily. I was in Delhi in a camp at the Nehru Stadium hostel and had been selected for the World Championship. Onler was living with his cousin and was preparing to give the exams for the Civil Services and was the student Union President of his community. He got to know through the newspaper that one of the persons from the Kom community had got selected for the world championship and he came to meet me.
Onler, why would you go and meet a stranger?
She was the only one from our community. Being the student union president of my community, I thought it is was my duty to go and see if she was comfortable and if she needed anything. Kom is a small tribe. I would bring her home food as she was in a hostel. She, along with her friend from Mizoram, would come to my cousin's place every Sunday to eat meat with us. I met her in 2001 and then in 2003, I was just thinking that if I get married to her, she will be more comfortable and I can openly help her. As a friend, people would look at us and think in a very different manner. I knew that she needed someone to look after her career and her finances and most importantly, look after her. She had so many disturbances financially, morally and risk from other boys in the profession, who would disturb her. Some people wanted to disturb her career and I thought that if she agrees, we could get married. I said, 'Mary, will you agree if I ask your hand in marriage? It is very simple. If you agree, you can reply to me after one or two months on my proposal.' From that day, she was just not normal and I could see that something was happening in her mind. She came home and decided to ask me, 'If I said yes, will you allow me to continue my games?' I said, 'That is the reason I am getting married to you.' We then started planning on how we would tell our parents and in 2004, we got married.
Onler, what do you like the most about Mary?
I like that she is very open, humble and down-to-earth. I proposed to her even though we were not dating. I have this principle that I have to love my wife and I have to be loved by my wife because God has granted her as my wife and me as her husband. And we cannot take this very lightly. We both believe a lot in God. Mary reads the Bible all the time in her room, whenever she gets free time.
And Mary, what do you like the most about Onler?
I love him the most in the world, as he is always caring about me all the time. Caring is important for us, as women we are not very safe. I can save myself from one person attacking me, but can't save myself from two persons attacking me and the environment. Also, there is always politics in selection and somewhere at such times, you will have enemies as someone has to be selected and someone rejected. He has till date never said, 'I love you,' even though we have three children. On the music launch, Priyanka Chopra and Omung sir forced him, so that is the first time he said those words to me.
Mary, how safe is it for you to live in Manipur?
Onler lost his father in 2007 when he was shot by a gunman. There are areas where it is unsafe. We also don't know. Night is not safe. The UG (Underground as they are called) only want money. My house guard is there and I go everywhere with him. After becoming a world champion, I have a job at the police department in my state. Right now, they are fully supporting my sport but later, after retiring from sports, I will work in that job.
As a mother, do you feel scared of getting hurt when you fight?
No. I never get scared of getting hurt and keep getting bruises on my head, lips and forehead.
You are already the World Champion 5 times. What more?
I want to be a sportsperson all my life, not to earn more money or fame, but still want to play and enjoy that. The main goal is to fight in the next Olympics. In the last Olympic games, I have not completely fulfilled my dream as I won a bronze. I want to win a gold.
Mary, what was the lowest point in your life?
When I could not give my family all the time. When my twins were just one year old, I left them, to go to camp to train for several months. I could not afford an air ticket to come back to Manipur to see them even once. I would be missing them all the time so needed to be strong and concentrate on my practice. But I needed to take up the challenge of being able to get back despite being a mother.
One of Bollywood's leading ladies Priyanka Chopra is portraying you on screen. How does that feel?
She is the right person to play me as she has a strong body structure so when I thought who could play me, I felt she was the only one. She is very friendly, open, simple and is very nice. I like her very much and thank her for taking this role. As a child, I watched so many movies and could never have dreamt that one day a film would be made on me. I liked Amitabh Bachchan's sir boxing in Sholay film.
Onler, do you have a favourite actress?
I always liked Rekha.
Priyanka Chopra will look nice as a mother-Mary Kom's husband
8:53 AM
Rachana Dubey (MUMBAI MIRROR; May 19, 2014)
With her real
life narrative of personal struggles and
international glory, Olympic medal winning boxer Mary Kom's
life is perfect fodder for a Bollywood biopic. Along with being an
acclaimed sportswoman, the 32-year-old has another favourite role,
playing mother to three young sons.So will Priyanka Chopra who is playing her in a film being directed by Oomung Kumar,turn mother on screen? The actress was reportedly reluctant to play a mother in Fashion (2008) but this time she will.
Onler Kom, Mary's husband, told Mirror, “Our romance and marriage forms the most interesting part of the narrative. Priyanka will look nice as a mother of twins." Mary's third child was born after her Olympic triumph.
Onler pointed out that Mary is 32 today and a single film cannot document her entire life. “They have focussed largely on her struggles, her professional highs and lows, and how her personal life progressed alongside. Our marriage wasn't easy on her but we were overjoyed when we had our twins. These aspects of her life have been covered quite well," he says.
Will Mary make a special appearance in the film? Onler doesn't agree or deny, but says the filmmakers might wrap up with their family portraits. “Recently, the production team asked me to send them a couple of our recent pictures, including some with our third child. If I am not mistaken, their plan is to show the current status of Mary's personal and professional life through a string of images," said Onler who is based in Manipur.
Mary and her husband were involved in the film from its inception and it took six months and many drafts to get all the facts and figures of her life right. “We had rejected so many things in the first few drafts. Either the facts had not been presented correctly or they had got some detail wrong or misinterpreted something," he revealed.
So has the boxer had a glimpse of her life on screen? “We haven't seen anything yet, though we were in Mumbai briefly when they were shooting," he said. “We wanted to be there during the shooting but Mary's work schedule hasn't allowed that. But we're sure they've done a good job."
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