Kabir Khan and his love for sports biopics was evident when ‘83 was released in 2021. Continuing the same tempo and spirit, the enterprising director has managed to bring alive the sweeping personality of Murlikant Pethkar, India’s first Paralympics gold medalist and a Padma Shri awardee with Chandu Champion. Spearheaded by the talented Kartik Aaryan, the film revolves around the life and achievements of Murlikant, an aspiring athlete from rural Maharashtra, who dreams of winning gold for his country.
I loved how the story was pacy and did not waste its time with overly complicated plots. The film begins in a local police station, where Murlikant demands an Arjuna Award from the President for his accomplishments that were long forgotten by the government. This instantly hooks the audience. After being asked about his story, the protagonist recounts the events of his life, starting with his childhood. Growing up, he was always referred to as Chandu(Loser) Champion for his overly ambitious goal of winning a gold medal at the Olympics.
Events lead Murlikant to run away and join the army where he trains to be a boxer. He is expected to serve in the Indo-Pak war of 1965, where a serious tragedy befalls our hero, making him paraplegic. However, it is his coach, Tiger Ali(played by Vijay Raaz), who motivates him to participate in the 1972 Summer Paralympics. Despite all odds, Murli sets a new world record in 50m freestyle swimming, winning gold for India.
Chandu Champion shows Murli’s emotional resilience and rousing self-belief quite convincingly. The music and soundtracks were perfect and what you’d expect in a sports biopic. If you watched the trailer last month and loved the cinematography and shots, the movie won’t disappoint. The standout part of this film for me was Kartik Aaryan’s epic transformation. From simple, sweet, and comedic roles in his previous films, to a hardworking, rugged athlete, you can actually see the efforts being put both physically and mentally.
It is Murlikant who dictates the flow of the story. Interestingly, there is no room for any romantic plot on the sidelines, as is the case with most biopics. I admire the way Kabir Khan focuses solely on the athlete’s achievements and setbacks while keeping the storyline interesting. It makes you root for Murli’s success and admire his resilience.
Chandu Champion does not focus on any one sport like other biopics. Murli is shown to be inspired by the legendary wrestler K.D.Jadhav won India’s first Olympic medal in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics. He often mentions to be the disciple of Dara Singh. When later Murli joins the army, he takes up boxing with coach Tiger Ali by his side. It is after he is seriously wounded in the war, that the hero decides to participate in the swimming event of the 1972 Olympics. Kartik Aaryan was phenomenal in all sports and looks like a natural athlete.
I would recommend the movie to all ambitious souls who love to dream big and have faced multiple setbacks in their lives. Chandu and his character will certainly inspire a lot of people.