Murlikant Petkar on the release of Chandu Champion on June 14: ‘A perfect tribute to Sushant Singh Rajput’

“When I saw Kartik Aaryan play all the sports, which I played in my youth and won medals for, on-screen and nailing them so effortlessly, I saw myself in him. He took me back in time. I cried during the screening of the film. It was an emotional moment. Kartik has done a brilliant job in Chandu Champion,” says Murlikant Petkar, who won gold medal in swimming in the 1972 Paralympics and is the inspiration behind Kartik’s Chandu Champion which released in the theaters today (Friday, June 14).

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From the time the trailer of the much-awaiting Kabir Khan directorial dropped, fans haven’t stopped complimenting Kartik for his portrayal of Murlikant, who despite his accolades, remained a forgotten hero until the announcement of his biopic. What many may also not know is that before Kabir Khan, Sushant Singh Rajput, inspired by the athlete’s story of resilience, had already begun shooting his biopic. It came to a sudden halt after the actor’s tragic death four years ago. 

Sushant Singh Rajput with Murlikant Petkar and his son Arjun during one of their meetings in Thergaon, Pimpri-Chinchwad. (Express photo)

Murlikant tells Indianexpress.com, “Before Kabir Khan, Sushant Singh Rajput, was making a film on my life and my journey as a Paralympian. He had already shot 10 to 15 per cent of the film. He was extremely passionate about telling my story and spent a lot of time with me to understand how I managed to win all those gold medals despite getting shot nine times and being in a coma.” Unfortunately, the actor’s sudden demise put a halt to the film until Kabir learnt about Murlikant‘s existence through a newspaper article and decided to make a film on him.

The war veteran suffered irreversible bullet injuries in the 1965 war against Pakistan, which forced him to give up his career in the Indian Army. He is still living with one bullet dodged in his spine. But his disability didn’t stop him from chasing his dream of bringing gold for the country. Murlikant Petkar won an individual gold medal in the 1972 Summer Paralympics, in Heidelberg, Germany and set a world record in the 50 m freestyle swimming event, at 37.33 seconds. In the same games, he participated in javelin, precision javelin throw and slalom. He was a finalist in all three events.

Kartik Aaryan as Paralympic gold medalist Murlikant Petkar in Chandu Champion.

Murlikant, who is currently living with his family in Thergaon, in the Pimpri-Chinchwad area, in Maharashtra, has fond memories of the late actor. “He would frequent my house to spend time with me. I also visited him at his Mumbai flat. He would sit down and hear my stories and get extremely motivated. He couldn’t believe that I managed to bring all those gold medals despite my disability,” recalls the 79-year-old. Sushant’s admiration for Murlikant was reciprocated with the sportsman’s fondness for the young artiste who managed to floor him with his simplicity, dedication and humility.

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“He loved the humble Maharashtrian dish pithla-bhakri (creamy gram flour curry served with roti). Every time, he drove to my house, he would request for the dish and savoured it with the happiness of a child. His then girlfriend Ankita Lokhande would also accompany him at times,” he adds.

The journey of Murlikant Petkar, who won gold in swimming in 1972 Paralympics, is the inspiration behind Kartik Aaryan-starrer Chandu Champion. The film released on June 14, 2024.

Sushant Singh Rajput, who had  essayed the Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni in MS Dhoni: The Untold Story, was keen on bringing the story of the physically challenged army man turned sportsperson on to the big screen. In a Bollywood Hungama interview, an excited and wide-eyed Sushant, who wanted this forgotten hero’s story to reach every Indian, young and old, said, “The minute I heard his story I was on. I wanted to do it without a second thought. What an inspiring story! After playing Dhoni, I’m looking forward to playing Petkar who never allowed his physical hurdles to stand in the way of his dreams. I like playing characters who dream big.”

Murlikant Petkar (right) with Southern Army Commander Lt Gen Ajai Kumar Singh. (Express File Photo)

Murlikant Petkar’s son, Arjun Petkar, reminiscing about the time when Sushant Singh Rajput first came to their Thergaon residence, says they couldn’t believe that the actor actually made an effort to find their abode to know about his father and his story of resilience. “He came to meet us when he was shooting MS Dhoni,” he added. What took Petkar by surprise was that the actor had already done his homework and researched about his accomplishments before arriving at his door. He wanted to understand the man and his undaunting spirit behind those medals. “He wanted to know everything about me. Even the smallest of details so that he would play the character in the most realistic way. He glanced through the medals and was awestruck,” he tells us, adding that there was a certain sincerity in the actor’s eyes.

Kabir Khan on the sets of Chandu Champion, starring Kartik Aaryan (Photo: Instagram/kabirkkhan)

The Paralympian says the actor was grateful to the family for not informing his neighbours about his arrival and for offering him a generous serving of poha. The Kai Po Che! actor later invited the Petkars for lunch at his Mumbai residence and also sent a special car for them. He not only spent quality time with them but also spoke fondly of Murlikant in front of his friends. The septuagenarian and his family were touched by the gesture and his generosity. 

“His sudden passing was very shocking. The loss feels personal. 14th of June…. the date is painful to remember. The release of Chandu Champion on this date is a tribute to Sushant who left this world so early. It is the perfect homage to the young talent who wanted to tell my story and play me on-screen but his story remained incomplete!” laments Murlikant Petkar.