Chandu Champion- A saga of persistence, determination and success amid adversities

Story of India's first Paralympics gold medal winner

✪ Despite of 9 bullets and half the body paralyzed, journey towards success
✪ Inspired by Khashaba Jadhav in 1952 and achieves Gold in 1972
✪ Unbelievable feat of Muralikant Petkar from Sangali, Maharashtra
✪ “I want to fight for everyone who wish to become a champion!”
✪ "Even the fishes do not have legs!”
✪ Impeccable story, presentation and characterization
✪ Such a colossal bravery, but people just forgot

Hello. These days, it is Olympics fever everywhere! We are obsessed about performance of Indian and other players! India has just missed its gold medal. Now after concluding of the 2024 Olympics, shortly, Paralympics of the differently abled will start. This is the story of Muralikant Petkar, who had won India's first (and only till now) Paralympics Gold medal in swimming. Just saw the recently released Chandu Champion movie with Kartik Aaryan in the lead role. This is based on the true story. This is a rather astonishing movie without any bombardment of typical Bollywoodsque attributes. A very balanced movie highlighting the saga of determination, persistence, just not losing will, myriads of efforts, support of friends and guidance of a Guru.

Murali- Muralikant Petkar is an 8 year old kid who gets inspired by Khashaba Jadhav- the Indian Bronze medal winner in 1952 Helsinki Olympics for wrestling. Muralikant later on learns wrestling. Later on he joins Secunderabad EME (Electronics and Mechanical Engineering Corps) as a soldier and learns boxing. He reached the final round of 1964 Tokyo Military Games in boxing. During the war of 1965, he is hit by 9 bullets and his body below waist gets paralyzed. For around two years he gets in coma. Later on he recovers in a military hospital. Surviving even after being hit by 9 bullets and it is the miracle, he thinks and continues to live with the disability. He is forced to forget his dream of the Olympics gold medal and is forced to lead a mere survivor's life. In a moment of depression, he attempts to suicide himself by taking pills for sleeping. But the fortune favours the brave, the pills are released through vomiting and he survives. He reboots himself with the motivation to to chase his dreams. His coach becomes his guiding force. "Even the fishes do not have legs," he motivates him and gives new direction. Swimming! He learns to swim even without using his body below the waist. Later on he becomes eligible to participate in Asian Games for swimming.
 

Despite of plenty of adversities, the exercises done by him make us speechless! His journey from a mere surviving life to a winner’s chase is marvelous. The movie depicts this all. His determination and hard work make him eligible for 1972 Munich Paralympics. He survives the terrorist hazard and reaches the first round of the 500 meter freestyle group. He marches ahead and reaches the final stage of the competition. In the company of similar differently abled- extraordinarily abled persons he competes well and ultimately achieves the gold medal! He overcomes limitations of the body by his burning will power and his passion to overcome barriers- come what may be.

We must see this movie for the scene of these extraordinarily abled athletes- how they compete in different sports even when they do not have legs, hands or eyes. The movie makes us believe that in any adversity, we can always do plenty of things. Despite of such heroics, later on India forgot this great fighter. Such bright bravery- but for decades it was forgotten! But after several decades, this mistake gets corrected and Muralikant Petkar finally gets Padmashree Award in 2018 and gets the well deserved recognition. The inspiration from Khashaba Jadhav take Muralikant Petkar to the equal height and then the next generation gets inspired by Muralikant Petkar.

Thus, this is the movie to be experienced! Based on the true story. It depicts making of a soldier, how he fights and how he marches ahead in adversities. But despite of that, it also shows the other side with ‘Battle is very bad, those who make it happen do not lose anything, but those who fight in it lose everything!’ This movie tells us that even if the body is handicapped, we can achieve plenty of things with our will power and determination. This movie maintains its speed and flow with gentle jokes. Last but not the least, this is the first Hindi movie of my brother- Aroh Welankar. So do see the movie Chandu Champion and also show to the children (available on OTT). It does not have any such bombarding content. It just hits in the bull’s eye for the gold! Now after this movie, let this brave story be remembered and let it inspire the new generation. Thank you.

- Niranjan Welankar, 11th August 2024

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