Unfazed by Chandu Champion’s slow start at the box office, writer Sumit Arora emphasizes that it’s Murlikant Petkar’s indomitable spirit and exceptional expertise in multiple sports that mark this film as a standout among other sports biopics.
Chandu Champion
In the realm of Bollywood’s penchant for biopics, where human triumph over adversity takes center stage, enters “Chandu Champion,” under the able direction of Kabir Khan. The film, headlined by the charismatic Kartik Aaryan, delves into the extraordinary life of Murlikant Petkar, a man whose saga could rival any fictional epic. When Khan introduced Petkar’s life story to writer Sumit Arora, he was completely taken aback. “All this happened to one person!” Arora marveled. From this sense of wonder was born Chandu Champion.
The biographical film charts Petkar’s incredible journey, beginning as a rookie wrestler who enlists in the Indian Army where he later transitions to boxing. However, his life took a dramatic turn during the 1965 India-Pakistan war, which left him paralyzed from the waist down. Even this daunting setback couldn’t deter Petkar. He took up swimming and ultimately clinched India’s first Paralympic gold medal in 1972. Arora recounts how the writing team would spend long hours on Zoom calls with Petkar, trying to absorb every facet of his awe-inspiring story.
“Kabir had already met him before we started writing,” Arora recollects. “On our Zoom calls, Petkar would narrate events that seemed extraordinary to us with a sense of routine. He would casually mention, ‘I woke up from a two-year coma and then learnt swimming.’ From his childhood days, he was singularly focused on the dream of winning an Olympic gold medal. That vision never wavered. That was the primary takeaway from our discussions with him.”
The daunting task of translating such an epic life into film is complicated by the proliferation of sports biopics in recent Bollywood. Among the roster of movies like Khan’s own “83” and Ajay Devgn’s “Maidaan,” how does one carve a niche for another sports-centric story? Arora points to the minute details as the distinguishing factor.
. “We kept asking ourselves, what makes this story different from other sports biopics?” he elaborates. “From day one, it was clear that Petkar’s indomitable spirit, his determination to never give up, was a unique subject that had yet to be properly explored in any Hindi film. Also, he was a man who excelled in two different sports categories.”
The writer was also keen to steer clear of the hagiographic tendencies that often plague biopics, particularly in India. “The heroism we wanted to celebrate wasn’t about his physical achievements alone. What set him apart was his spirit. We glorified his spirit, not him as an individual,” Arora clarifies.
The film also signifies Kabir Khan’s first collaboration with Kartik Aaryan, whose “boyish charm” and hunger for a challenging role made him the natural fit for the part of Murlikant Petkar. Arora remembers, “We actually started writing without any specific actor in mind, focusing purely on the story. During the writing process, Kabir saw Kartik as having the boyish charm needed for the role, and Kartik was eager to take on this challenge.”
Despite the promising narrative and Aaryan’s widespread popularity, “Chandu Champion” has struggled for traction at the box office. However, Arora remains unperturbed, emphasizing that the team is receiving an outpouring of love and appreciation for the film from those who have watched it. “Honestly, what matters most is that the audience who is going to see the film loves it. The connection we’ve made with them is what counts,” he asserts.
Chandu Champion is not just a tale of sports achievement; it is a study in human resilience and the ability to transcend physical limits through sheer willpower. It stands as a testament to the human spirit’s capacity for greatness, irrespective of the physical confines life may impose. As Bollywood continues to churn out biopics that celebrate individual excellence and grit, “Chandu Champion” sets itself apart by focusing on the internal journey of an athlete who refused to let life’s adversities hold him back. It reminds us that heroes are defined not just by their abilities, but by their unyielding spirit.
