''Chandu Champion'' is a 2024 Indian Hindi-language biographical

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. It is a production in which a sport, sporting event, athlete (and their sport), or follower of sport (and the spor ...

film written and directed by Kabir Khan and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, under

Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment Pvt Ltd (NGE) is an Indian film production company based in Mumbai. The Nadiadwala family have been in film production since 1955, continuing this legacy Sajid Nadiadwala established the company in 2005. It i ...

. It stars Kartik Aaryan as India's first

Paralympics The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the ''Games of the Paralympiad'', is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power and impaired ...

gold medallist

Murlikant Petkar Murlikant Petkar is India's first Paralympic gold medalist. He won an individual gold medal in the 1972 Summer Paralympics, in Heidelberg, Germany. He set a world record in the 50 m freestyle swimming event, at 37.33 seconds. In the same g ...

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 actor ...

took place from July 2023 to January 2024 with filming held in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, Wai and

Jammu and Kashmir Jammu and Kashmir may refer to: * Kashmir, the northernmost geographical region of the Indian subcontinent * Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), a region administered by India as a union territory * Jammu and Kashmir (state), a region administered ...

. ''Chandu Champion'' was released on 14 June 2024.

Plot

2017: An aged

arrives at a local police station, saying that he wants to file a complaint against the

President of India The president of India ( IAST: ) 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, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces. Droupadi Murmu ...

for not being awarded the

Arjuna Award The Arjuna Award, officially known as Arjuna Awards 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 Arjuna, one ...

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: 1952: Murlikant grows up in a small village called

Peth Islampur Peth Islampur is a village in the Sangli district of India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populo ...

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a states and union territories of India, state in the western India, western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the List of states and union te ...

. 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 b ...

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 The Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) is an arms and service branch of the Indian Army. The Corps has varying responsibilities related to the design, development, trial, inspection and refit of weapon systems and equipment. They ...

, where he is selected and trained as a

boxer Boxer most commonly refers to: * Boxer (boxing), a competitor in the sport of boxing *Boxer (dog), a breed of dog Boxer or boxers may also refer to: Animal kingdom * Boxer crab * Boxer shrimp, a small group of decapod crustaceans * Boxer snipe ee ...

. He is selected to represent India in boxing at the International Services Sports Meet 1964 in

Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...

, 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. 1965: Their unit is involved in the

Indo-Pakistani war of 1965 The Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 or the Second Kashmir War was a culmination of skirmishes that took place between April 1965 and September 1965 between Pakistan and India. The conflict began following Pakistan's Operation Gibraltar, which was d ...

, 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 neural ...

. 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. 1972: His former coach Tiger Ali visits him in the infirmary, and inspires him to compete in the

. He trains hard and qualifies for the

1972 Summer Paralympics The 1972 Summer Paralympics (german: Paralympische Sommerspiele 1972), the fourth edition of the Paralympic Games, were held in Heidelberg, West Germany, from 2 to 11 August 1972. The games ended 15 days before the 1972 Summer Olympics held in Mu ...

in the 50 m

freestyle swimming Freestyle is a category of swimming competition, defined by the rules of the International Swimming Federation (FINA), in which competitors are subject to a few limited restrictions on their swimming stroke. Freestyle races are the most commo ...

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 (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...

. 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 organization ...

. Once news reaches his village, he becomes a celebrity and is welcomed back by the villagers with great fanfare. 2017: 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 Padma Shri (IAST: ''padma śrī''), 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. Instituted on 2 January 1954, ...

. 2018: 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, ''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, 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 after ''

Satyaprem Ki Katha ''Satyaprem Ki Katha'' () is an upcoming Indian Hindi-language musical romantic drama film directed by Sameer Vidwans. Jointly produced by Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment and Namah Pictures, it stars Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani. The film ...

'' (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 ( sa, मुहूर्त, translit=muhūrtaṃ) is a Hindu unit of measurement for 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, ...

puja held in

, where the first schedule was also completed. The second schedule commenced on 24 September 2023 in

Kashmir Kashmir () is the 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 Panjal Range. Today, the term encompas ...

. The crew also filmed the movie at Wai village in

. 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 the winter capital of the Indian union territory of Jammu and Kashmir (union territory), Jammu and Kashmir. It is the headquarters and the largest city in Jammu district of the union territory. Lying on the banks of the river Tawi Ri ...

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 Kausar Munir is an Indian lyricist and screen writer in Bollywood. Biography Munir was born and brought up in Bandra, Mumbai. She graduated in English Literature from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. Munir married actor Nirmal Pandey in 1997 b ...

. 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() is a major city in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh; it lies in northern part of Madhya Pradesh and is one of the Counter-magnet cities. Located south of Delhi, the capital city of India, from Agra and from Bhopal, the s ...

. Aaryan promoted the film at the dance reality show

Dance Deewane ''Dance Deewane'' ''()'' is an Indian dance reality show that airs on Colors TV. The show features performers, including solo acts, Duo and groups representing any style of dance, competing for a grand prize. The series premiered on Colors TV ...

. A special screening of the film was held for the

Indian Army The Indian Army is the land-based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. The President of India is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Army, and its professional head is the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), who is a four- ...

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, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders w ...

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, also known simply as Prime Video, is an American Video on demand#Subscription models, subscription video on-demand Over-the-top media service, over-the-top Streaming media, streaming and Renting, rental service of Amazon (c ...

from 9 August 2024.

Reception

A critic for '' Bollywood Hungama'' 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, (formerly SGA Finance and Management Service and Network18 Fincap Limited) commonly referred to as the Network18 Group and sometimes as the Network18–Eenadu Group, is an Indian media conglomerate owned b ...

'' 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 online news and media website. The site is a part of the Network 18 media conglomerate owned by Reliance Industries, which also runs CNN-News18 and CNBC-TV18. The ''Network 18'' group was originally owned by Raghav ...

'' 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 India Limited. It is the most widely circulated magazine in India, with a readership of close to 8 million. In 2014, ''India Today'' launched a new onl ...

'' 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 of ''

Rediff Rediff.com (stylized as ''rediff.com'') is an Indian news, information, entertainment and shopping web portal. It was founded in 1996. It is headquartered in Mumbai, with offices in Bangalore, New Delhi and New York City. , it had more than 300 e ...

'' 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. It is published in Mumbai by the Indian Express Group. In 1999, eight years after the group's founder Ramnath Goenka's death in 1991, the group was split betw ...

'' 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 .

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