Stills from films Mary Kom and Million Dollar Baby featuring Priyanka and Hilary
Mumbai:
Filmmaker Sanjay Leela Bhansali compared Priyanka Chopra with the Million Dollar Baby actress Hilary Swank. The director insists that only Priyanka could pull off the title role in Mary Kom, a biopic on Olympic bronze medallist and five-time World Champion M C Mary Kom.
Sports drama Million Dollar Baby was the story of a waitress' determined journey to become a boxing champ. Hilary Swank played the protagonist in the film which took home four Oscars.
"Mary Kom is a very special film and no other actress could have pulled off the role," Sanjay told reporters at the trailer launch of Mary Kom. (Also Read: What Priyanka said about Mary Kom)
"Priyanka is like an 'atom bomb'. She is a power packed talent. Her dedication, passion, and commitment toward her work are commendable. If Hollywood has Hilary Swank, we have Priyanka Chopra."
Sanjay also compared Priyanka's talent with that of Nutan and Waheeda Rehman saying she is in the "same league" as the veteran actresses.
Sanjay feels Mary Kom was destined to happen.
"If a film has to happen, it will happen. For this film, we had no meetings or (script) readings. Omung (the director) was in the lift and told me he wants to make a film on Mary Kom. I said 'yes' then and there. So, I feel the film was meant to happen," he said.
Directed by Omung Kumar, and co-produced by Viacom18 Motion Pictures and Sanjay Leela Bhansali Productions, the movie will release on September 5.
Sports drama Million Dollar Baby was the story of a waitress' determined journey to become a boxing champ. Hilary Swank played the protagonist in the film which took home four Oscars.
"Mary Kom is a very special film and no other actress could have pulled off the role," Sanjay told reporters at the trailer launch of Mary Kom. (Also Read: What Priyanka said about Mary Kom)
"Priyanka is like an 'atom bomb'. She is a power packed talent. Her dedication, passion, and commitment toward her work are commendable. If Hollywood has Hilary Swank, we have Priyanka Chopra."
Sanjay also compared Priyanka's talent with that of Nutan and Waheeda Rehman saying she is in the "same league" as the veteran actresses.
Sanjay feels Mary Kom was destined to happen.
"If a film has to happen, it will happen. For this film, we had no meetings or (script) readings. Omung (the director) was in the lift and told me he wants to make a film on Mary Kom. I said 'yes' then and there. So, I feel the film was meant to happen," he said.
Directed by Omung Kumar, and co-produced by Viacom18 Motion Pictures and Sanjay Leela Bhansali Productions, the movie will release on September 5.
