Manipur actor Lin Laishram thanks Priyanka Chopra for acknowledging the lack of diverse casting in Mary Kom

Manipur actor Lin Laishram opens up about Priyanka Chopra's acknowledgment that a Northeast actor should have played Mary Kom in her biopic. The role was played by Priyanka.

By: Entertainment Desk

Mumbai | January 18, 2022 03:43 PM IST

3 min read

Priyanka Chopra played boxing champion Mary Kom in the 2014 film. (Photo: Express Archive, PR)

Model-actor Lin Laishram, who had spoken about lack of diversity during casting of the 2014 film Mary Kom, has appreciated actor Priyanka Chopra for acknowledging the fact in a recent interview. The 2014 film starred Priyanka Chopra in the titular role, while Lin played Bembem. Priyanka said last week that Kom should have been “played by someone who actually belongs to that ethnicity for a more accurate representation”. She added that “I look nothing like her”.

The acknowledgment has been hailed by many and Lin too called Priyanka ‘brave and gracious’ for accepting it publicly.

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“It’s really gracious and brave of Priyanka to finally accept this and put it out there. My admiration for her has only grown immensely. Inclusivity I feel is very hard to understand unless you are excluded. With the OTT gaining prominence, it seems that merit and authenticity are slowly getting the due importance that they deserve. I am very thankful for this welcome change and looking forward to good work coming our way,” she said in a media statement.

Earlier in an interview Lin had opened up about the lack of inclusivity while casting for mainstream projects. “I admire Priyanka for her hard work, she really put in a lot of hours in order to look like Mary Kom but I always felt that casting is an important step in film. I believe in authenticity and inclusivity, so a girl from Manipur or the North East could have been surely cast to represent us. When it comes to playing an achiever from the Northeast, a non-North Eastern person is chosen as seen in Mary Kom. On the other hand, why not cast people from Northeast also as normal Indians in all walks of life which we are,” she had told Free Press Journal.

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An international model and actor, Lin Laishram has also worked in films like Umrika and Axone. As per her team, she already has multiple projects in hand.

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