Chandu Champion will make you love, laugh and cry all at once featuring Kartik Aaryan at his best. Read the movie review.
Chandu Champion Review: Another story of unwavering courage, grit and determination. Another story of dreamchasers. Another story that will touch your heart, truly! India probably has several unsung heroes whose names were never etched in golden books of honour but Kabir Khan manages to bring a leaf out of one such story with Kartik Aaryan taking it to glory. It is based on the life of India’s first Paralympic gold medallist of 1972, Murlikant Petkar who scaled his life’s adversity to acclaim and how.
Yes, it is another sports biopic that touches the themes of motivation, and unbreakable spirit. But the depth of emotions is what makes the heart melt. The film opens with an old Murlikant Petkar (Kartik Aaryan) narrating his life story to Shreyas Talpadhe, an inspector from a local police station. That’s where Murli’s origin story begins with a kid who dared to dream of sitting on the shoulders of his elder brother joining the crowd who welcomed the first-ever Olympic winner and said ‘Mai bhi champion (read champi-on) banega’.
When a teacher asked his student what he wanted to become, a young Murli, with a spark in his eyes, said, “Mai Olympics mai jaunga,” followed by a roar of laughter. In response to one of his classmates, Murli said, “Hasta kaiko hai.” Every time people laughed at his dreams, it fueled his passion further.
The Becoming of Chandu Champion
When it comes to sport personalities, we associate one sport with them, but for Murli it was not just one. Starting with wrestling, boxing to swimming and firing guns at enemies at war, it was not much about the sports but for the love to win a medal in Olympics.
It is not just Murli’s sweat and blood that we see but Kartik Aaryan’s raw spark in the eyes that makes it all more real. We can see the efforts of Aaryan and can safely say that as Chandu Champion, he has delivered his one of the best works so far.
After all the drama that ensues, Murli runs the first time to save his life. Enter Karnel Singh (Bhuvan Arora) who has delivered a stunning performance as Murli’s wingman to Olympics. In a scene, when Murli is running for his life, he meets Karnel who says, in Punjabi accent, “unhone tujhe gaon se nahi bhagaya hai, apne sapne ke taraf dodhaya hai.” This leaves both Murli, and the audience smiling and off we see Murli and Karnel achieving dreams together.
Be it any film, what is a Bollywood film without good music. ‘Satyanaas’ is the song where you see an uninhibited Murli but it will make you reminisce scenes from ‘Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.’ While it is a fun addition to storyline you will probably be thinking of ‘havan karenge‘ with a group army chaps having a little bit of fun.
The film delves into emotional depths that will make your heart ache every time fate betrays Murli, making his struggles feel like a personal loss. What stands out is the fresh portrayal of the character’s vulnerability and rawness. Murli is not depicted as a hyper-masculine figure who hides his pain; instead, he openly shows the agony of enduring multiple hardships, both from life and the bullets he faced. Every tear shed offers a cathartic experience, adding a touch of relatability. You find yourself rooting not just for Murli, but for Kartik as well.
Little Bit Dragged…
While it is all wholesome in the first half, the film post interval will start giving a slight itch. It is a little dragged for a sports biopic making it monotonous after a point. After sitting through all the turmoils, witnessing the love-hate relation of destiny with Murli, as audience we wish to have proper closure now. Hence, after all the persuasions and perspirations, the final moment of triumph appears a little haste. There will be moments when you wish to understand a little more about Murli’s personal life like where is his family, what is that he did when not on ground running?
Oscillating between past and present, film also has its moments of giggles. Rajpal Yadav and Vijay Raaz have done what they do best, act with earnestness. Raaz as Tiger Ali (Murli’s coach) is a mentor we all deserve while Yadav as the wardboy will give you bouts of laughter with his effortless humour.
Kabir Khan’s latest directorial effort has not only brought out the best in the actors but also delivered a wholesome film that evokes a spectrum of emotions. It makes you smile, feel angry, and get emotional with every shot. Let’s be honest—what more hcan you expect from a Kabir Khan film? While it follows the traditional biopic format, its heartwarming narrative ensures you leave the theater with a smile.
Rating: 3
