When Kabir Khan’s Chandu Champion completed two years last month, former paralympic Gold medalist Murlikant Petkar, whose life inspired the film, had told us that leading man Kartik Aaryan deserves a National Award for his dedication to the character. And looks like his manifestation worked wonders as when the winners of 72nd National Film Awards were announced on Saturday, Kartik Aaryan was conferred with the Best Actor in a Leading Role award for Chandu Champion.
Getting the film, his story and Kartik getting the highest cinematic honour in the country fills Murlikant Petkar with pride. He tells us, “What a moment of pride and joy! This recognition is a fitting reward for his remarkable performance and unwavering dedication. This film has given me memories that I will cherish forever.”
The former para-athlete asserts that the film brought a lot of changes in his life too. “It brought my journey to a new generation, earned me the honour of the Arjuna Award (Lifetime 2024) , and today, with Kartik winning the National Award, it truly feels like life has come full circle. Chandu Champion is not just a movie; it is a celebration of grit and excellence, and this recognition makes the moment even more special for everyone involved,” he says.
Being the inspiration behind the film, Petkar adds that with the recognition coming Kartik’s way, it assures them that the message they wanted to put across through the story, has reached the audience. “As someone whose life inspired Chandu Champion, this is one of the proudest moments of my life. I am incredibly happy for Kartik Aaryan and immensely proud of the sincerity, discipline, passion and relentless hard work with which he portrayed my journey. He truly understood the emotions behind my story, and seeing him honoured with the National Award is deeply moving,” he says.
Talking about Kartik, Petkar had earlier told us, “When we first met, he approached my story with a lot of sincerity and curiosity—he genuinely wanted to understand not just the events of my life, but also the emotions and mindset behind them. During the process of the film, I saw the kind of dedication and effort he put into portraying my journey, and that created a strong bond of trust and appreciation between us. It was not just an actor playing a role—he truly immersed himself in the character and treated my story with great respect. Kartik deserves the National Award for his hard work and dedication.”