JOIN OUR WHATSAPP CHANNEL
Kartik Aaryan was 'hungry' for Chandu Champion's role; film's writer Sumit Arora says actor 'stepped into unchartered territory'
Sumit Arora shared insights into working with actor Kartik Aaryan and director Kabir Khan on Chandu Champion, detailing the scriptwriting challenges he encountered.
Chandu Champion, a Bollywood biographical film directed by Kabir Khan and written by Sumit Arora, portrays the remarkable journey of Murlikant Petkar, India's first Paralympic gold medalist. Kartik Aaryan stars as Murlikant Petkar, depicting his evolution from a young wrestler to an Army boxer. Paralyzed from the waist down in the 1965 India-Pakistan conflict, Petkar later mastered swimming and achieved India's first Paralympic gold in 1972.
The sports drama hit the theaters earlier this month to enthusiastic reviews. Sumit Arora shared his experience of collaborating with Kartik Aaryan in the film, expressing his belief that the actor was eager for this role to break away from comedy and explore something new.
Chandu Champion writer says Kartik Aaryan was eager for this role
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Arora said, “Working with him was an amazing experience. He has never done a role like this. People associate him with someone who does comedy but he stepped into an unchartered territory.”
He further added, “I think he was really hungry for this role and wanted to do something different. He has proved himself beyond doubt and delivered a performance of a lifetime through this film.”
Sumit Arora shares challenges in writing for Chandu Champion film
Sumit Arora discussed the challenges of writing for biopics, noting that unlike fictional characters where writers and directors set boundaries, real-life adaptations are constrained by the lived experiences and perceptions of the individuals they portray.
He also mentioned the complexities faced in depicting Chandu Champion, a figure less known to the public compared to Kapil Dev. Working with Kabir Khan, Arora highlighted the balance required between creative freedom and staying true to the subject's essence to ensure authenticity and respect for their life and family.
Chandu Champion writer on collaborating with director Kabir Khan
Arora first met Kabir Khan, the director of Chandu Champion, during the 2017 screening of Stree, a film that earned him widespread acclaim. Khan, impressed by Arora's work, initially expressed interest in collaborating. Arora admitted thinking it might just be a passing comment at such events. However, a few days later, Khan personally phoned him.
"He eventually called me and told me he was making 83 and asked me to work on the dialogues. I was more than happy as I had always been a huge cricket fan. Then 83 happened, and we worked together. Then we were thinking of what to do next, and he told me the story of Murlikant Petkar. I was blown away."
Reflecting on Kabir Khan, Arora described him as a wonderful individual and a talented filmmaker, highlighting the joy of collaborating with him.
More about Chandu Champion
Chandu Champion depicts the life of Murlikant Petkar, India's first Paralympic gold medalist, born on November 1, 1944, in Maharashtra. The biopic explores various stages and challenges in his journey. Petkar achieved success in several sports, notably wrestling and hockey. This film also marks Kartik's debut collaboration with Kabir Khan and is co-produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and Kabir Khan.
Latest Articles
