Analysing a champ

From Kartik’s physical transformation to Kabir Khan shooting Chandu Champion in J&K, actor-director duo to reflect on their sports biopic at Melbourne film festival

Chandu Champion may not have set the box office on fire, but it is arguably Kartik Aaryan’s most important work. The actor, on multiple occasions, has stated how he underwent drastic transformation to play Murlikant Petkar, India’s first Paralympic gold medalist, in the Kabir Khan-directed biopic. Now, the actor-director duo will dive deep into the creation of their film in a special session, titled In Conversation, at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM). 

Kabir Khan     

At the August 17 event, Aaryan and Khan will engage in a candid discussion about the making of the sports biopic—from the director’s first meeting with Petkar in 2021, to zeroing in on Aaryan to play the leading man, and finally, shooting the eight-minute one-take war sequence in Jammu and Kashmir. The actor will also recount his intense preparation as he lost 18 kilos for a portion of the biopic, as well as picked up boxing and wrestling to portray the athlete. It will mark Aaryan’s second appearance at IFFM, after he was honoured with the Rising Global Indian Superstar of Indian Cinema award last year. 

Mitu Bhowmick Lange, festival director, says she is looking forward to hosting the minds behind Chandu Champion. She says, “Their collaboration has set a new benchmark for sports biopics. This session promises to offer fans a rare glimpse into the creative journey of two of India’s most talented artistes.”

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