Meet Murlikant Petkar, The Inspiration Behind Kartik Aaryan-Starrer Chandu Champion
Kartik Aaryan is gearing up to reveal a new side of himself to his fans with his upcoming release, ‘Chandu Champion.’ The film’s poster was unveiled by the makers on May 15, followed by another poster on May 16. The movie revolves around the life of Murlikant Petkar, India’s first Paralympic gold medalist, who made the nation proud at the 1970 Commonwealth Games and the 1972 Paralympics in Germany.
Who is Murlikant Petkar, the Inspiration Behind Kabir Khan’s ‘Chandu Champion‘?
Born on November 1, 1944, Murlikant Petkar is renowned as India’s inaugural Paralympic gold medalist. He served as a private jawan in the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) in the Indian Army. Petkar lost his arm due to bullet wounds during action against Pakistan in 1965. Initially a boxer in the EME, Petkar switched to swimming and also competed in tennis. At the 1972 Summer Paralympics, he clinched an individual gold medal and set a record in the 50m freestyle swimming event with a time of 37.33 seconds. His remarkable dedication to the nation has inspired Kabir Khan to direct a film based on his life.
Kabir Khan’s Chandu Champion
‘Chandu Champion’ is one of the most awaited films of the year, with Kartik Aaryan portraying the role of Murlikant Petkar. Another poster of the film was shared on Thursday, accompanied by a heartfelt note from director Kabir Khan praising Kartik Aaryan’s commitment. Khan highlighted the actor’s rigorous efforts towards body transformation, achieved without resorting to steroids.
In part of his note, Kabir Khan mentioned, “The story of Chandu Champion is an incredibly inspiring true story, but the journey that Kartik went through to become this champion is no less inspiring. I met him when he had put on weight for a role. He had 39 per cent body fat. I told him that he had to portray an international-level multi-disciplinary sportsperson. He just smiled and said, ‘I will do it, Sir.’ A year and a half later, with no use of steroids – something that he was adamant about – we took this photo on set. Body fat 7 per cent! I’m proud of you @kartikaaryan.”
Sajid Nadiadwala and Kabir Khan have arranged to debut the trailer of ‘Chandu Champion’ in Kartik Aaryan’s hometown of Gwalior. It has been a while since the actor visited the city. ‘Chandu Champion’ is a collaborative production between Sajid Nadiadwala and Kabir Khan, scheduled for a theatrical release on June 14, 2024.