Kabir Khan Shares How He Discovered Athlete Murlikant Petkar’s Inspiring Journey: “I Came Across His Story by Chance”

Kabir Khan, the renowned director, recently shared an intriguing story about how he stumbled upon the inspiring journey of athlete Murlikant Petkar, which led to the creation of his upcoming film ‘Chandu Champion.’ In a media interaction, Kabir revealed, “I came across Murlikant’s story by chance. Someone gave me an old article and asked if I had read the story. When I read the article, my first reaction was that it couldn’t be true–so many things happening in such a dramatic way in one person’s life seemed impossible.”

The director further expressed his disbelief at not knowing about such a significant hero like Murlikant earlier, considering his remarkable achievements. It took Kabir and his team a considerable amount of time to track down the unsung hero, but once they did, there was no turning back.

Kabir also shed light on why he chose Kartik Aaryan to portray ‘Chandu Champion’ in the film. He mentioned, “I think directors do have an eye for talent, and I also think that more than just talent, it’s also the feel of the person’s energy. As a writer and director, when I am creating a character, an image is already formed in my mind.”

‘Chandu Champion’ is set to release on June 14 and aims to captivate audiences with its narrative of resilience and determination. The film, directed by Kabir Khan, showcases the inspiring tale of Murlikant Petkar, India’s first Paralympic gold medalist in freestyle swimming. Kartik Aaryan’s portrayal of Chandu is expected to bring this remarkable story to life on the big screen.