In 2020 during the global lockdown, Murlikant Petkar, India’s first Paralympic gold medalist, was shocked on June 14 by the news of Sushant Singh Rajput’s sudden passing. Since then, he has struggled to talk about it, reminiscing about their last meeting in August 2019 when Sushant vowed to share his inspiring story on screen. The former athlete has now expressed that Chandu Champion’s release on Sushant Singh Rajput’s death anniversary is a perfect tribute.
Since the release of the highly-anticipated Kabir Khan directorial’s trailer, fans have been praising Kartik for his portrayal of the overlooked hero, Murlikant. Despite his remarkable achievements, Murlikant’s story remained largely unrecognized until news of his biopic surfaced. What remains lesser-known to many is that prior to Kabir Khan, Sushant Singh Rajput had embarked on shooting his biopic, drawing inspiration from the remarkable tale of resilience displayed by the athlete. Sadly, the project came to an abrupt halt following the untimely demise of the actor four years ago.
Murlikant Petkar told Indian Express, “Before Kabir Khan, Sushant Singh Rajput, was making a film on my life and my journey as a Paralympian. He had already shot 10 to 15 per cent of the film. He was extremely passionate about telling my story and spent a lot of time with me to understand how I managed to win all those gold medals despite getting shot nine times and being in a coma.”
He added, “His sudden passing was very shocking. The loss feels personal. 14th of June…. the date is painful to remember. The release of Chandu Champion on this date is a tribute to Sushant who left this world so early. It is the perfect homage to the young talent who wanted to tell my story and play me on-screen but his story remained incomplete!”
Murlikant Petkar, the Paralympic gold medalist in swimming from 1972, shared his heartfelt experience after watching Kartik Aaryan portray his inspiring journey in Chandu Champion. Reflecting on seeing Kartik effortlessly excel in the sports he once dominated, Murlikant felt a deep connection and nostalgia. Emotions overwhelmed him during the movie screening, as he saw his own story unfold on screen through Kartik’s impeccable portrayal. Murlikant praised Kartik’s stellar performance, expressing how it stirred powerful emotions within him.
He also added, “When I saw Kartik Aaryan play all the sports, which I played in my youth and won medals for, on-screen and nailing them so effortlessly, I saw myself in him. He took me back in time. I cried during the screening of the film. It was an emotional moment. Kartik has done a brilliant job in Chandu Champion.”
The News18 Showsha review of the film, “Move over Vicky Kaushal’s “How’s the Josh?”, Kartik Aaryan’s dialogue “Chandu nahi, Champion hai main” from Kabir Khan’s latest directorial ‘Chandu Champion’ is here to win your hearts and fill you with myriads of emotions. Through this sports biopic, Kartik and Kabir have brought a heartwarming tale of Murlikant Petkar’s life — the struggles and the milestones that he achieved in his career – to the big screen. Produced by Nadiadwala Grandsons, the film takes you back to the 1970s when Petkar was fighting all odds to become an Olympic champion.”
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