''Chandu Champion'' is a 2024 Indian Hindi-language
biographical
A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or curric ...
sports drama
A sports film is a film genre in which any particular sport plays a prominent role in the film's plot or acts as its central theme (arts), theme. It is a production in which a sport or a sports-related topic is prominently featured or is a focus o ...
film written and directed by
Kabir Khan and produced by
Sajid Nadiadwala
Sajid Nadiadwala (born 18 February 1966) is an Indian film producer, film director and screenwriter who works in Hindi cinema. He is the owner of Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment and the grandson of filmmaker A.K. Nadiadwala. Sajid has written ...
, under
Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment. It stars
Kartik Aaryan as India's first
Paralympics
The Paralympic Games or Paralympics is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of disabilities. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which since the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Kore ...
gold medallist
Murlikant Petkar.
Principal photography
Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production.
Personnel
Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...
took place from July 2023 to January 2024 with filming held in
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
,
Wai and
Jammu and Kashmir. ''Chandu Champion'' was released on 14 June 2024 to mixed-to-positive reviews from critics. The film was a commercial failure.
Plot
An aged
Murlikant Petkar arrives at a local police station, saying that he wants to file a complaint against the
President of India
The president of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, and the commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the Indian Armed ...
for not being awarded the
Arjuna Award
The Arjuna Award, officially known as Arjuna Awards given for Outstanding Performance in Sports and Games, is the second-highest sporting honour of India, the highest being the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award. The award is named after Arjun ...
for his achievements. He adds that him winning the award would help in the development of his village. When questioned by an officer about his eligibility, he recounts his remarkable journey:
Murlikant grows up in a small village called
Peth Islampur in
Maharashtra
Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
. At a young age, he develops the ambition to win an
Olympic gold medal
Olympic or Olympics may refer to
Sports
Competitions
* Olympic Games, international multi-sport event held since 1896
** Summer Olympic Games
** Winter Olympic Games
* Ancient Olympic Games, ancient multi-sport event held in Olympia, Greece bet ...
for India, for which he is mocked and made fun of by his classmates and also scolded by his father.
Events lead him to run away from home and join the
Indian Army Corps of EME, where he is selected and trained as a boxer. He is selected to represent India in boxing at the International Services Sports Meet 1964 in
Tokyo
Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...
, where he does well, but loses in the final round because he is distracted and not focused enough. Disappointed at his losing in spite of his potential, his coach Tiger Ali refuses to train him further.
Their unit is involved in the
Indo-Pakistani war of 1965, in which their camp comes under air attack. He is injured severely, with a bullet injuring his spine, rendering him a
paraplegic
Paraplegia, or paraparesis, is an impairment in motor or sensory function of the lower extremities. The word comes from Ionic Greek ()
"half-stricken". It is usually caused by spinal cord injury or a congenital condition that affects the neura ...
. He is admitted to an infirmary for the war wounded, where, depressed at his condition and that he can never win an Olympic Gold, he has given up on life and attempts suicide.
His former coach Tiger Ali visits him in the infirmary, and inspires him to compete in the
Paralympics
The Paralympic Games or Paralympics is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of disabilities. There are Winter and Summer Paralympic Games, which since the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul, South Kore ...
. He trains hard and qualifies for the
1972 Summer Paralympics
The 1972 Summer Paralympics (), the fourth edition of the Paralympic Games, were held in Heidelberg, West Germany, from 2 to 11 August 1972. Organised under the guidance of the International Stoke Mandeville Games Federation (ISMGF), they were k ...
in the 50m
freestyle swimming
Freestyle is a category of Swimming (sport), swimming competition, defined by the rules of World Aquatics, in which competitors are subject to only a few limited restrictions on their swimming stroke. Freestyle races are the most common of all ...
event. While he is there, the
Palestinian terrorist attack on Olympics takes place, due to which the Paralympics is shifted to a different venue at
Heidelberg
Heidelberg (; ; ) is the List of cities in Baden-Württemberg by population, fifth-largest city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, and with a population of about 163,000, of which roughly a quarter consists of studen ...
. At the new venue, he is successful in progressing through the multiple heats and ultimately wins the Gold Medal, setting a new
World record
A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organizatio ...
. Once news reaches his village, he becomes a celebrity and is welcomed back by the villagers with great fanfare.
However, his achievements are forgotten over the years. The police inspector is impressed by his story but still suspicious about its authenticity. He contacts a journalist to write an article about him. Upon reading the article as well as receiving Petkar's application for the Arjuna Award, he is visited by a senior government official, who tells him that the Arjuna Award is too small an award for his achievements, and the government has instead decided to award him the
Padma Shri
The Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī'', lit. 'Lotus Honour'), also spelled Padma Shree, is the fourth-highest Indian honours system, civilian award of the Republic of India, after the Bharat Ratna, the Padma Vibhushan and the Padma Bhushan. In ...
.
On 20 March, he received the Padma Shri from the President of India.
It is narrated at the end that the inspiring story of
Murlikant Petkar is a fruitful and befitting reply to all ups and down in life, crossing all obstacles, each and every mocking and every fun made of, with the dialogue by Murli, ''Ae, hasta kaiko hai?'' (Why are you laughing?).
Cast
Production
Development
Kabir Khan first announced the film in July 2022. The film was officially announced with a motion poster on 4 July 2023 by
Sajid Nadiadwala
Sajid Nadiadwala (born 18 February 1966) is an Indian film producer, film director and screenwriter who works in Hindi cinema. He is the owner of Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment and the grandson of filmmaker A.K. Nadiadwala. Sajid has written ...
, to be directed by Kabir Khan and starring Kartik Aaryan.
Casting
Kartik Aaryan was chosen to play the lead, in his second collaboration with producer
Sajid Nadiadwala
Sajid Nadiadwala (born 18 February 1966) is an Indian film producer, film director and screenwriter who works in Hindi cinema. He is the owner of Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment and the grandson of filmmaker A.K. Nadiadwala. Sajid has written ...
after ''
Satyaprem Ki Katha'' (2023). Aaryan underwent a significant physical change for the role, reducing his body fat percentage from a remarkable 39% to a slender 7% over a span of only 14 months.
Filming
Principal photography commenced on 12 July 2023 with a
Muhurta
Muhūrta () is a Hindu unit of time along with ''nimiṣa'', ''kāṣṭhā'', and ''kalā'' in the Hindu calendar.
In the ''Brāhmaṇas'', ''muhūrta'' denotes a division of time: 1/30 of a day, or a period of 48 minutes. An alternative meanin ...
puja held in
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
, where the first schedule was also completed. The second schedule commenced on 24 September 2023 in
Kashmir
Kashmir ( or ) is the Northwestern Indian subcontinent, northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent. Until the mid-19th century, the term ''Kashmir'' denoted only the Kashmir Valley between the Great Himalayas and the Pir P ...
. The crew also filmed the movie at
Wai village in
Maharashtra
Maharashtra () is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. It is bordered by the Arabian Sea to the west, the Indian states of Karnataka and Goa to the south, Telangana to th ...
. Filming wrapped after eight months on 31 January 2024. A challenging 8 minute single shot war sequence was shot at
Aru Valley in
Jammu
Jammu () is a city in Indian-administered Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir in the disputed Kashmir region.The application of the term "administered" to the various regions of Kashmir and a mention of the Kashmir dispute ...
at an altitude of 9000 feet above sea level.
Music
The music for the film is composed by
Pritam, while lyrics are written by
Amitabh Bhattacharya, IP Singh and
Kausar Munir. The first single titled "Satyanaas" was released on 24 May 2024. The second single "Tu Hai Champion" was released on 30 May 2024. The third single titled "Sarphira" was released on 8 June 2024.
Marketing
The film's trailer was released on 8 May 2024 at
Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Aaryan's hometown
Gwalior
Gwalior (Hindi: , ) is a major city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh; It is known as the Music City of India having oldest Gwalior gharana, musical gharana in existence. It is a major sports, cultural, industrial, and political c ...
. Aaryan promoted the film at the dance reality show
Dance Deewane. A special screening of the film was held for the
Indian Army
The Indian Army (IA) (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the Land warfare, land-based branch and largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Commander-in-Chief, Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head ...
officers on 5 June 2024 in
Delhi
Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
where Petkar was felicitated.
Release
Theatrical
The film was theatrically released on 14 June 2024.
[
]
Home media
The film was premiered on Amazon Prime Video
Amazon Prime Video, known simply as Prime Video, is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming television service owned by Amazon. The service primarily distributes films and television series produced or co-produced by ...
from 9 August 2024.
Reception
Critical reception
''Chandu Champion'' received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, with praise for Aaryan's performance.
A critic for ''Bollywood Hungama
Bollywood Hungama (lit. "Bollywood Madness" in Hindi), previously known as IndiaFM (or IndiaFM.com), is an Indian entertainment website, owned by Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, which acquired the website in 2000.
The website provides n ...
'' rated the film 4 stars out of 5 and wrote, "''Chandu Champion'' rests on Kartik Aaryan's powerful performance and some strong moments." Nishad Thaivalappil of ''News18
Network18 Media & Investments Limited, ( d/b/a Network18 Group) is an Indian media conglomerate owned by the Reliance Industries, headed by Mukesh Ambani. Rahul Joshi is the managing director, chief executive officer and group editor-in-chief ...
'' rated the film 4 stars out of 5 and wrote "Overall, Chandu Champion, skilfully directed by Kabir Khan, proves irresistible with its powerful feel-good story."
Vinamra Mathur of ''Firstpost
Firstpost is an Indian news website owned by Network18 Group, which also runs CNN-News18 and CNBC TV18. It has posted misinformation on multiple occasions.
The Network 18 group was originally owned by Raghav Bahl. In January 2012, the gro ...
'' rated the film 3.5 stars out of 5 and wrote "Kartik Aaryan delivers an earnest performance in Murlikant Petkar's inspiring story." Arushi Jain of ''India Today
''India Today'' is a weekly Indian English-language news magazine published by Living Media, Living Media India Limited. It is the most widely circulated magazine in India, with a readership of close to 8 million. In 2014, ''India Today'' laun ...
'' rated the film 3 stars out of 5 and wrote "What makes the Kartik Aaryan-led film worth a watch, is the way that Kabir Khan truly believes in his story and turns it into a feel-good experience."
Sukanya Verma
Sukanya Verma is an Indian journalist and film critic. She has been the principal movie reviewer with web portal '' Rediff.com''. She has written a number of columns as a freelance writer for ''The Hindu
''The Hindu'' is an Indian English ...
of ''Rediff
Rediff.com, stylized as rediff.com, is an Indian news, information, entertainment, and shopping website. Founded by Ajit Balakrishnan in 1996, it was the first Indian website to become a mainstream news media organization. It is headquartered i ...
'' rated 2.5/5 stars and notes "''Chandu Champion'' is Kartik Aaryan's most ambitious work so far and the actor's muscular gusto is undeniable. There's visible fire in the man's belly but not enough soul." Shubhra Gupta of ''The Indian Express
''The Indian Express'' is an English-language Indian daily newspaper founded in 1932 by P. Varadarajulu Naidu. It is headquartered in Noida, owned by the ''Indian Express Group''. It was later taken over by Ramnath Goenka. In 1999, eight y ...
'' rated the film 2.5 stars out of 5 and wrote "Kartik Aaryan makes you root for his character even though Kabir Khan's film falls into declarative, underlined patches."
Box office
As of 11 July 2024, ''Chandu Champion'' has grossed in India and overseas for a worldwide total of .
Accolades
References
External links
*
*
*
{{Portal bar, India, Bollywood, Films
2024 films
Hindi-language biographical films
2020s Hindi-language films
2020s Indian films
Films shot in London
Films shot in Wai, Maharashtra
Films shot in Jammu and Kashmir
Films based on Marathi people
Indian sports drama films
Films featuring songs by Pritam
Films set in 1952
Films set in 1964
Films set in 1965
Films set in 1972
Films set in 2017
Films set in 2018
Films about the Paralympics
Indian Army in films
Films based on Indo-Pakistani wars and conflicts