Chandu Champion Review: Watch this movie to salute the journey of India’s first Paralympics gold medalist Murlikant Petkar
Chandu Champion Movie Rating: 3.5 Stars
Watched Chandu Champion movie in Cinema. Let’s focus on the complete details, story, positive/negatives and at last my personal view on this movie.
Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Bhuvan Arora, Vijay Raaz, Yashpal Sharma, Rajpal Yadav, Aniruddh Dave and Shreyas Talpade
Director: Kabir Khan
Release Date: 14th June 2024 in cinema
Story: Oscillating between past and present, the story takes us through Petkar’s life, right from the 1950’s to 2018, when he was finally awarded the Padma Shri. The film starts off with an elderly Murlikant Petkar (Kartik Aaryan) who comes to police station to file a complaint against the country’s President because he had not given him an Arjuna Award (for excellence in sports). Upon enquiry by Police Inspector Sachin Kamble (Shreyas Talpade), he narrates his life journey from being a ‘Chandu Champion’ to becoming India’s first ever gold winner in Paralympics.
The story, which starts off in the year 1952, is a life journey of young Murlikant Petkar who finds the ‘clarion call’ of his life after seeing a local villager KD Jadhav being received to a hero’s welcome at the railway station for his sports achievement (he was the first Indian ever to win an Olympic medal). Being heavily inspired and yearning to be received like a hero at the station, Petkar joins a kushti akhada under Ganpat Kaka (Ganesh Yadav). But, as luck would have it, despite showing full potential in a kushti match and winning it, Petkar is forced to run away from his village, leaving behind his parents and ever-supportive brother Jagannath (Aniruddh Dave).
He hops onto a train where he meets Garnail Singh (Bhuvan Arora). When Murlikant informs him about his dream of winning an Olympic medal, Garnail suggests that he should join the Army. As luck would have it, Murlikant gets shortlisted and joins the armed forces. He also starts training in boxing under Tiger Ali (Vijay Raaz) who eventually becomes his lifelong mentor and guide. Murali excels at the World Army Championship considered a qualifier for the Olympics and he finishes second.
Soon after, while being posted in Kashmir during the 1965 India-Pakistan war, he sustains severe bullet wounds and is left paralyzed waist down. Rejected by his family, Murali then continues his reign at EME Secunderabad, where after being motivated by Ali and he starts training for the Paralympics as a swimmer. How he, with guidance and coaching by Tiger Ali bounces back is what the inspirational story is all about.
Positives
1. Performances
2. Cinematography
3. Story
4. Screenplay
5. Direction
Negatives
1. Length
2. Music
3. Climax
Durgesh Tiwary’s View: When I watched the trailer of this film planned to watch this movie on its release date as loved the trailer and its based on the life of India’s first Paralympics gold medalist Murlikant Petkar.
Based on a true story, the film celebrates the fascinating and surrealistic life of Murlikant Petkar, an army man and athlete, who won India its first Paralympic gold in 1972. His achievements and remarkable tryst with destiny lurked in anonymity, until he decided to claim the honour and respect, he deserved.
Murlikant Petkar is India’s first Paralympic gold medalist. He won a gold medal at the 1973 Paralympics at Heidelberg Germany, at the 50 metre freestyle swimming event, winning it with a record timing of 37.33 seconds. Chandu Champion sports biopic captures Petkar’s remarkable journey from a war-wounded soldier to a world-class athlete, emphasising his resilience and the support system that fueled his success. Some portions of the film, like that of the rookie soldiers singing a nonsensical song to pass the time or Petkar being floored by a good-looking girl at foreign shores may remind you of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. Kabir Khan masterfully intertwines fact and fiction, portraying Petkar’s life with a blend of authenticity and cinematic flair. Central to this narrative are the figures who stood by Petkar, notably his friend and fellow boxer, Karnail Singh, played by Bhuvan Arora. Singh’s unwavering support showcases the importance of camaraderie in overcoming life’s hurdles. The film’s technical aspects are commendable. The action choreography, be it the boxing scenes or the swimming portions, vividly brings to life the physical and emotional challenges Petkar faced, while the background score effectively underscores the emotional beats of his journey. Together, they create a gripping and immersive viewing experience. The war sequence, though compact, nevertheless brings the horrors of warfare come alive viscerally in a big way.
The first half has its share of light moments which often bring a smile to the face and even evoke laughter sometimes. The drama becomes more serious and emotional after interval when Murlikant is down and out with not even a ray of hope coming his way. The latter part of the post-interval portion is so inspirational that the audience often get gooseflesh while the drama unfolds. The emotional scenes involving Murlikant and his family members are very touching and would make the weak-hearted cry and weep. Kartik Aaryan lives the role of Murlikant Petkar. His praiseworthy physical transformation apart, he essays the character so beautifully that one’s heart goes out to him. Kabir Khan’s direction is extraordinary. His genius as a storyteller is evident in several scenes. His narrative style is such that the audience gets sucked into the drama right from the word go.
On the flipside, while there is a lot about how Murlikant prepared for the various sporting events that took him closer to his dream of fetching gold for India, there is not much shown about his personal life. He is shown to be all consumed by just one dream in life, but there could have been more about how he was in his personal space. While his family life before the gold medal was kind of non-existent, there could have been some scenes that showcase him with his new family moments with his wife and kids. What happened after when he won the Gold Medal. Pritam music is not up to the mark. The reason of filing a case against the President of India should have been depicted instead of him describing verbally. Then, the impact would have been more. He runs away to Poona, and he never informs his parents or brother that he’s safe. He’s also not worried whether they are fine, especially when there’s a threat to their life. It’s also bewildering that his family had no idea he had reached the finals in the Olympics.
Overall, it is more than just a sports biopic. It is a testament to human endurance and the profound impact of solidarity. Kabir Khan has crafted a compelling narrative that pays homage to Murlikant Petkar’s legacy, leaving audiences inspired and moved by his indomitable spirit. It is an inspiring true story of grit and determination, and it fills your heart with hope and faith. My view on this movie Highly Recommended
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