Chandu Champion Review: Kartik Aaryan's Riveting Act Pays Tribute To Murlikant Petkar

Chandu Champion Review: From the day Kabir Khan's directorial Chandu Champion was announced, the audience eagerly anticipated it as the film is a biopic on India's first Paralympics gold medalist Murlikant Petkar. Fans of Kartik Aaryan were also excited to see him in a different role. So, was the wait worth it? Is Chandu Champion worth your time and money? Find out in our review below.

Chandu Champion follows Murli (Kartik Aaryan) who, inspired by Khashaba Dadasaheb Jadhav (Independent India's first Olympics medal winner), dreams of becoming a wrestling champion. However, destiny leads him to join the Army. Through the Army, he gets a chance to participate in boxing, but during a war, he gets injured and half his body becomes paralysed. Despite this, he dreams of winning a gold medal for India and participates in the Paralympics. The movie showcases his journey from childhood to winning a Padma Shri.

When it comes to movies like Chandu Champion, the ending and story are often predictable. Therefore, everything depends on the screenplay and narration. With Kabir Khan's name attached to the film, expectations were high, and the filmmaker succeeds in delivering what was expected.

The movie starts on an engaging note. The childhood of Murlikant Petkar is depicted very well. However, the movie dips slightly in the middle but picks up post-interval. In the second half, Chandu Champion reaches a different level. The screenplay and narration keep viewers hooked until the climax, which leaves a happy feeling.

The only issue with Chandu Champion is the lack of a strong female character. Kabir Khan's movies usually feature strong female roles, but this is missing here. Murlikant Petkar is married in real life, so including his married life would have added more emotional depth.

Kartik Aaryan as Murlikant Petkar delivers a strong performance. It's evident that he put in significant effort for the role, excelling in emotional scenes in the second half. This film is surely a treat for his fans.

While Kartik's character is central to the movie, Vijay Raaz and Shreyas Talpade also stand out. Raaz plays a proper supporting role with his usual fantastic performance, and Talpade leaves a strong mark with his perfect Marathi accent and mannerisms required for his role. Bhuvan Arora performs well in his part, and Aniruddh Dave also leaves an impression. Rajpal Yadav has an extended cameo and does a fabulous job.

Regarding female characters; Bhagyashri Borse doesn't have much to do, Hemangi Kavi is decent, and Sonali Kulkarni in her cameo is fine. Clearly, a strong female character was missing here.

A special mention goes to Ayan Khan, the child actor who plays young Murlikant. He is excellent.

The songs in the film are good. "Satyanaas" is already a chartbuster and entertains within the film.

Chandu Champion Review Final Verdict

Chandu Champion may not be another Bajrangi Bhaijaan, but it certainly isn't a Tubelight either. Kabir Khan delivers a good film that pays deserving tribute to Murlikant Petkar. It’s worth watching in theatres.