▁due ▁to ▁the ▁demand ing ▁nature ▁of ▁the ▁character , ▁which ▁included ▁training , ▁mus cle ▁building , ▁and ▁learning ▁the ▁sport . ▁She ▁later ▁agreed ▁to ▁the ▁film ▁because ▁of ▁K umar ' s ▁confidence ▁in ▁her . ▁After ▁Ch op ra ▁was ▁cast ▁in ▁the ▁title ▁role , ▁Mary ▁Kom ▁thought ▁of ▁Ch op ra ▁as ▁the ▁" per fect ▁choice " ▁for ▁the ▁role . ▁In ▁an ▁interview ▁with ▁Daily ▁News ▁and ▁Analysis , ▁Kom ▁described ▁Ch op ra ▁as ▁the ▁best ▁actress ▁to ▁play ▁the ▁role , ▁adding ▁that ▁her ▁body ▁was ▁well ▁struct ured , ▁like ▁that ▁of ▁a ▁box er . ▁ ▁In ▁contrast , ▁it ▁took ▁the ▁casting ▁direct ors ▁S hr uti ▁Mah aj an ▁and ▁Par ag ▁Me ht a ▁several ▁months ▁of ▁aud itions ▁to ▁final ise ▁the ▁appropriate ▁supporting ▁actors ▁for ▁the ▁film . ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁a ▁wide ▁section ▁of ▁the ▁media ▁reported ▁that ▁D anny ▁Den z ong pa ▁was ▁approached ▁to ▁play ▁Kom ' s ▁coach ▁Nar j it ▁Singh ▁in ▁the ▁film . ▁Instead , ▁Sun il ▁Th apa ▁was ▁cast ▁for ▁the ▁role ▁of ▁Kom ' s ▁coach . ▁Dar sh an ▁K umar ▁was ▁final ised ▁as ▁Kom ' s ▁husband , ▁footballer ▁On ler ▁Kom , ▁after ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁aud itions ▁which ▁included ▁three ▁different ▁looks ▁representing ▁three ▁different ▁stages ▁in ▁his ▁life . ▁Robin ▁Das , ▁a ▁National ▁School ▁of ▁D rama ▁professor , ▁was ▁cast ▁in ▁the