Chandu Champion

<p>An aged arrives at a local police station, saying that he wants to file a complaint against the for not being awarded the 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 in . At a young age, he develops the ambition to win an 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 , 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 , 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 , in which their camp comes under air attack. He is injured severely, with a bullet injuring his spine, rendering him a . 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 . He trains hard and qualifies for the in the 50m event. While he is there, the takes place, due to which the Paralympics is shifted to a different venue at . At the new venue, he is successful in progressing through the multiple heats and ultimately wins the Gold Medal, setting a new . 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 . On 20 March, he received the Padma Shri from the President of India. It is narrated at the end that the inspiring story of 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, (Why are you laughing?). Kabir Khan first announced the film in July 2022. The film was officially announced with a motion poster on 4 July 2023 by , to be directed by Kabir Khan and starring Kartik Aaryan. was chosen to play the lead, in his second collaboration with producer after (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. Principal photography commenced on 12 July 2023 with a puja held in , where the first schedule was also completed. The second schedule commenced on 24 September 2023 in . The crew also filmed the movie at village in . Filming wrapped after eight months on 31 January 2024. A challenging 8 minute single shot war sequence was shot at in at an altitude of 9000 feet above sea level. The music for the film is composed by , while lyrics are written by , IP Singh and . 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. The film’s trailer was released on 8 May 2024 at in Aaryan’s hometown . Aaryan promoted the film at the dance reality show . A special screening of the film was held for the officers on 5 June 2024 in where Petkar was felicitated. The film was theatrically released on 14 June 2024. The film was premiered on from 9 August 2024. received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics, with praise for Aaryan’s performance. On the website , 87% of 15 critics’ reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.9/10. A critic for rated the film 4 stars out of 5 and wrote, ” rests on Kartik Aaryan’s powerful performance and some strong moments.” Nishad Thaivalappil of 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 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 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.” of rated 2.5/5 stars and notes ” 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.” of 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.” As of 11 July 2024, has grossed in India and overseas for a worldwide total of .</p>