2023-A  Glove Story ?  “ I hate retakes  during shoots”,  confides boxing icon  Mary Kom  while fun-punching  Anupam Kher,  at Shiv Shastri Balboa poster launch… by Chaitanya  Padukone

Amidst  cheering applause, Padma Vibhushan MC Mary Kom the unassuming global boxing icon  unveiled the posters of  Hindi movie Shiv Shastri Balboa, Hashmi at the Actor Prepares Academy. The ready-for-release movie ( shot mostly on exotic overseas US locations) is expected to open at  cinema-theatres  during next month.

Reveals  ‘rejuvenated- ageless’ Anupam Kher, “it’s  a unique inspirational family-entertainer film of a common man who becomes extraordinary. !  With uncommon adventures  he goes thru extraordinary circumstances.  I am not playing a boxer  or a boxing-coach, my character is inspired by the game of boxing. Every time you fall down, as long as you can get up, you manage to get up and life goes on.  The boxing gloves are the inspiring catalyst in this movie, “ explains lead actor Anupam Kher . Directed by the talented Ajayan Venugopalan  ( of ‘Metro Park’ series fame)  the maverick movie boasts of an  ensemble cast comprising Anupam Kher, Neena Gupta, Jugal Hansraj, Nargis Fakhri and  Sharib Hashmi .

Interestingly,  handsome light-eyed actor Jugal Hansraj ( still fondly remembered as the ‘Masoom’ (1983) wonder-kid ) plays Anupam’s US-based settled son in the movie.

Anupam Kher and sports rock-star Mary Kom, both ardent mutual admirers of each other, spoke of acting and boxing. Boxing world champ Mary Kom taught Kher gave a live-demo of  a few extempore boxing moves that Anupam  tried to pick-up and even sparred with Mary Kom in a mock-match on stage.

The fun-loving, zinda-dil  nature Mary Kom who disclosed that she has undergone minor surgeries in the past and another recent surgery  was full of praise for iconic actress Priyanka Chopra who enacted her role in the landmark bio-pic movie ‘Mary Kom (2014) .

Wasn’t  courageous Mary fascinated about acting in movies ?  Reacts Mary,“ The real-life ‘one-take’ action situations  are in total contrast to make-believe films –shootings.  Am  not so comfortable with multiple shooting re-takes. At times I have even  got irritated and politely alerted the director and camera-crew that they should not test my patience with so many re-takes,”  laughs Mary who was impressed with the ‘tiger-eyes’ look of Anupam Kher ‘s character in the poster. In a response-reaction, Anupam  wittily remarked that  “ besides our acting talent, star artistes-actors also get paid for their patience while giving multiple retakes-shots”.  

Wearing a smart  denim-jacket with all his movie-titles inscribed, gifted to him by his overseas well-wisher,  the articulate  Anupam Kher disclosed , "I wanted the poster to be released by a national iand global con associated with sports, especially boxing. Mary Kom is so real, modest and so warm-hearted. She is generous with her praise. She is the glorious pride of India.Those who laugh aloud  heartily are generally good-hearted. I always admired Mary Kom, but I am simply overwhelmed by her humility today. She is a true real-life phenomenal champion," insisted Kher.

Continued the ‘Uunchai’ super-actor, Anupam Kher, "Shiv Shastri Balboa is a wacky film, the story of two strangers ( Neena Gupta and I ) who meet in US and then how their life takes a new turn.     It is funny, wacky, it is crazy, it is inspirational. The cute little pug ( doggie)that we fondly call Capsule has his expert opinion-comments on almost everything, and it is communicated to the audience in blurbs."

Presented by UFI Motion Pictures, Anupam Kher Studios and Tarun Rathi, Shiv Shastri Balboa is Produced by Kishore Varieth, Directed by Ajayan Venugopalan, Ashutosh Bajpai is the Executive Producer of the film.