Chandu Champion review: Kartik Aaryan gives a performance for the ages in Kabir Khan's moving ode to underdog champions

Director: Kabir Khan

Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Vijay Raaz, Bhuvan Arora, Shreyas Talpade, Aniruddh Dave, Yashpal Sharma, Sonali Kulkarni

Where to watch: Theatres

Rating: 4 stars

Kabir Khan’s latest film Chandu Champion is like an annoying friend. It grows on you even if it appears odd initially. The first few minutes feel part of some template and remind you (rather unfairly) of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag. You are wondering if you will be – yet again – subjected to a formula sports film. But then Kabir Khan does what he does best, and lets the emotions flow, while maintaining a tight grip on the balance between realism and drama. The end result is a crisp and moving ode to underdog champions and a love letter to the never-say-die spirit of para athletes. But even as Khan leaves his mark on a well-made film, it’s the man in front of the camera who walks away with the cheers and applause. Kartik Aaryan, the actor, takes centre stage and shows that there is more to him than the Sonus and Gogos of the film world.

Chandu Champion is inspired by the scarcely believable life of war hero-turned-Paralympic champion Murlikant Petkar, the man who went from being a pehelwan to a champion boxer in the Indian Army; then lost the use of his legs after being wounded in the 1965 Indo-Pak War, before finding his calling as a para swimmer. Kartik Aaryan portrays Petkar from ages 18 to 80 in a film that spans from 1952 to today. But Chandu Champion is more than just the story of Petkar’s grit and fight. It is also a mirror to our society, which conveniently and routinely overlooks the achievements of the differently-abled.

The film could have begun better. The first half hour is choppily edited and drags on for far too long. It gets loud and over dramatic quite quickly, with at least one too many song in there. Because of the similarity of the journeys of Milkha Singh and Petkar, Chandu Champion does give a Bhaag Milkha Bhaag déjà vu. But Kabir Khan quickly and competently pulls it back. The film comes alive when Petkar’s transformation into a boxer begins.

The boxing segment of Chandu Champion gives the best depiction of the sport in Hindi cinema so far. Everything from Kartik Aaryan’s physique to the choreography of the bouts and the framing of the shots is as cinematic as it is realistic. Kabir Khan does away with the unrealistic, over-the-top melodrama that Indian boxing films like Apne and Toofan have been guilty of employing. Only Pa. Ranjith’s exemplary Sarpatta Parambaraican be held as a finer example. That sets the tone for the rest of the film, because Kabir Khan never lets the emotion take back seat even when the sport comes front and centre.

The much-talked-about eight-minute long single shot war sequence right before the interval is somewhat of a letdown. Technically, it’s an impressive feat although there is some camera and editing trickery involved to make it look like a single shot. But it has been crafted quite seamlessly nonetheless. But it still lacks the urgency and chaos of war that we have already seen in similar shots in films like Dunkirk and 1917 recently (or Game of Thrones in a different setting). The shot is visually pleasing but tonally a little off.

And yet, just as it seems the film is getting away from him, Kabir Khan reins it back in. The second half is clearly the stronger half in the narrative. Kartik Aaryan truly comes into his own in terms of performance, brilliantly bringing Petkar’s helplessness, frustration, resilience, and grit to the fore in a brilliant cocktail of emotions. The actor emotes with his eyes and even his body. It is easily the most mature performance in his career and quite possibly the finest as well. A couple of his exchanges with Vijay Raaz and Aniruddh Dave form the most moving parts of the film and Kartik coasts through them like a seasoned performer.

The veteran Vijay Raaz is the other star of the show. In a role that could easily have been reduced to the toke strict coach with a heart of gold, Raaz brings humanity, empathy, and depth in a way that only he can. His crisp comic timing only adds to the flavour of the performance. Aniruddh Dave also leaves a mark despite his limited screen time, as does Sonali Kulkarni. The fun surprise of seeing Shreyas Talpade in a rather different role pays off well too. But alas, Chandu Champion grossly misuses the talent of Bhuvan Arora, who is reduced to the stereotypical sidekick with lame jokes despite the character having so much potential. Rajpal Yadav is wasted just as badly in what can be described as an extended cameo.

But whenever the film falters in one aspect, another compensates for it. The background score of Julius Packam and the cinematography of Sudeep Chatterjee are two clear winners in the film. Together, they seamlessly create the world of Murlikant Petkar, whether it is in Maharasthra, Kashmir, or even Germany. Props to Kabir Khan for maintaining historical accuracy as well and so cleverly and organically weaving the Munich attacks in the narrative.

But what elevates Chandu Champion from just another good film to a potentially great one is its push to the underdog champions and the simple message that the differently-abled are not looking for pity. The film shines a lens on the ‘bechara’ syndrome that the differently-abled have to deal with in our society and why even their best efforts are sometimes not given the recognition they deserve. Murlikant Petkar is one of the greatest champions India has produced. And when I say champion, I am not limiting it to the field of play. The fact that it took 50 years, a newspaper article, and a film for the country to simply get to know what he did is a matter of shame. And that is simply what Chandu Champion wants to say!

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