Earlier this week, Kartik Aaryan shared his first look from Chandu Champion as he wrapped up its first schedule in the UK. His maiden collaboration with director Kabir Khan is based on the life of India’s first Paralympic gold medalist, Murlikant Petkar, who won the 50 metres freestyle swimming competition at the 1972 Summer Paralympics in Heidelberg, Germany. The project, billed as “the true story of a man who refused to surrender”, has started on a good note with Petkar and his family liking the actor’s first look.

The Padma Shri recipient’s son Arjun begins, “My dad liked the look. As a civilian, it’s inspiring for Kartik to play such a role. Now, the world will know who Murlikant Petkar is.”

During the 1965 India-Pakistan war, Petkar, a soldier of the craftsman rank in the Corps of Electronics and Mechanical Engineers (EME) in the Indian Army, suffered debilitating injuries that rendered him paraplegic. He took to swimming as recommended by the doctor, and eventually represented India internationally. Sources say that in the UK schedule, Aaryan and Khan recreated the 17th Stoke Mandeville International Games of 1968.

“When Murlikant participated in the event, he saw the facilities provided for differently-abled sportspersons, including specialized wheelchairs. Since there was not much support for the differently-abled in India at the time, this was an eye-opener for him,” says a source.

Arjun reveals that the movie’s research is based on chapters from several books, and the real-life hero’s multiple conversations with the director. “Dad and Kabir sir, along with producer Sajid Nadiadwala and the writers, have been working on the script for the past two years. They want the film to be showcased on an international level. Dad couldn’t be present in London, but he’ll be on the sets during the shoot in India. That is when he will meet Kartik too. [That stint will cover] his time in the defence forces, what happened to him and how he came to be known as Chandu Champion,” he says.

Not many know that before Khan, the subject had caught Shekhar Kapur’s attention, who wanted to present it with the late Sushant Singh Rajput playing the lead. 

Arjun reveals, “Sushant Singh Rajput was to play the lead and had even met my father a number of times. This movie is like a tribute to him by us.”

PM Narendra Modi flanked by Arjun and Murlikant Petkar