Filmmaker Kabir Khan is good at telling tales of social misfits and underdogs. The writer-director has this rare ability to amalgamate fact and fiction for a multiplex audience that wants to watch something ‘real’ but doesn’t have the patience to experience the slice of life getting stewed. After 83, this week, Kabir has put together yet another rousing sports drama; the difference is that he has picked an unsung hero this time.
Drawn from the inspirational real-life story of Murlikant Petkar, India’s first Paralympic gold medalist in 1972 who made headlines after years of obscurity when he was awarded the Padma Shri in 2018, the action unfolds in mud pits, boxing rings, and swimming pools, but essentially is a celebration of taqdeer ke khel, the game destiny plays with us.
Told in flashback, here is a tiny Maharashtrian boy who wants to make a name in wrestling after watching the victory procession to felicitate K. D. Jadhav after he secured a bronze medal in the 1952 Summer Olympics, the first individual medal for the newly independent nation.
Teased by his mates, taunted by his father, and underestimated by his coach, Murli’s life changes on the day he brings down the much-fetched son of the village headman in his first public fight leading to a riot that forces him to leave his village.
As luck would have it, Murli’s dreams find refuge in the Indian Army. Under the guidance of a new coach, Tiger Ali, he shifts to boxing, but his ambition of an Olympic medal is shattered by the bullets fired by the Pakistani soldiers in the 1965 war. Not to be undone by fate or the bullet lodged in his spine, Murli keeps his head above water and swims to glory in the Heidelberg Paralympics… only to be forgotten by his countrymen until a journalist clears the dust off his achievements.
The film brings to memory Rakyesh Om Prakash Mehra’s Bhaag Milkha Bhaag where the champion athlete ran against his painful past to attain glory on the track with the help of his training in the armed forces. Interestingly, the film also notes that both were active in the same period.
Chandu Champion
Director: Kabir Khan
Cast: Kartik Aaryan, Vijay Raaz, Bhuvan Arora, Shreyas Talpade, Rajpal Yadav, Sonali Kulkarni
Run-time: 142 minutes
Storyline: The story of the undying spirit of Murlikant Petkar who surmounted adversity to win India’s first individual gold medal at the Paralympics
In cricket, experts say when the pitch is favourable for the bowlers, they should just keep pitching in the right areas and not do too much; this is exactly what Kabir does here. Petkar’s life has so much action, emotion, and drama that he just has to follow the process of making a biopic. As a para-athlete, Petkar excelled in other disciplines as well, but Kabir sticks to swimming to save time and focus.
No doubt, he exaggerates to generate drama and thrill; for instance, the commentary during the swimming competition sounds jarring but Kabir’s background in documentary films ensures that he keeps a check on the exploits of his characters. When Yashpal Sharma goes over the top in the name of training his bunch of jokers, Kabir makes Murli march to “Gore Gore Banke Chhore” (Samadhi, 1950) to capture Hindi cinema’s influence on all sections of society. The lilt of Lata Mangeshkar’s number makes one tap feet in unison with the soldiers on screen. Similarly, the female attention that Murli gets in Japan is a predictable but appealing distraction nonetheless.
Kartik Aaryan in ‘Chandu Champion’
Kabir doesn’t delve deep into the socio-political commentary, but slips into historical context so that the leap of faith doesn’t feel outlandish. He brings in the terror attack on athletes in the Munich Olympics without getting into the nationality of the extremists and the athletes. Chandu Champion also comments on how awards bring development to a neglected region.
One of the highlights is Sudeep Chatterjee’s cinematography, particularly in the boxing ring. It provides teeth for Kartik to bite into the challenge after an uneven start. Under Kabir’s direction, the actor crosses the channel of mediocrity and delivers a career-defining performance, similar to what Farhan Akhtar achieved with Mehra. Kartik is the right choice for a character whose unique selling point is that he punches above his weight. As someone who seems like easy game, Kartik looks the part and the script and cinematography provide him the springboard to become the game-changer in whichever ring he chooses to enter.
The actor’s physical transformation is praiseworthy and the highs and lows in the emotional graph translate on-screen without friction. Writers Sudipto Sarkar and Sumit Arora have laced the intense story with interludes of everyday humour, providing Kartik with the ground to bring his comic timing into play. He is convincing in scenes where he counters all the ghosts that have made their home in his mind because of the ridicule he faced all his life.
The supporting cast and their little arcs help fill the gaps and beat the predictability of the middle overs which is mostly unavoidable in biopics. Vijay Raaz is predictably impressive as Murli’s coach; like water, Vijay takes the shape of all the different characters he essays. Without donning boxing gloves, he is the coach Tiger who turns his precocious cub into a fighter. For once, Rajpal Yadav is not turned into a buffoon and gets to perform. Bhuvan Arora is believable as the well-meaning Sikh friend who lands a helping hand to Murli when his own had backtracked.
Once again, it is Kabir’s way of doffing his hat to the community that rises in crisis.
Chandu Champion is currently running in theatres