Chandu Champion (2024)

Chandu Champion (2024) — Biography / Drama / Sport Chandu Champion tells the extraordinary true story of Murlikant “Chottu Tiger” Petkar, a forgotten Indian hero whose life reads like an epic of grit and comeback. The film follows Murli from his rustic beginnings wrestling in rural Maharashtra, through his service as an army officer in the 1965 war with Pakistan where he is grievously injured, to a determined rise as an international athlete — representing India at major meets in Tokyo and later at the grand stage of the 1972 Olympics. Against a backdrop of hardship, bureaucracy and personal loss, Murli’s undying spirit drives him to win India’s first individual gold in any Olympic forum, even as he struggles for recognition at home. Viewers can expect an emotional, fast-paced journey that mixes intense sports sequences and training montages with raw wartime drama and quiet, human moments of recovery and resolve. The film moves between eras — the dust and sweat of rural wrestling, the chaos of battle, the disciplined grind of a champion’s comeback, and a more recent, poignant scene in 2017 where an old Murli walks into a police station to demand the honors he was denied. Rich period detail, stirring performances, and scenes of triumph and indignity create both an inspiring sports saga and a sobering look at how nations sometimes forget their heroes. Chandu Champion is ultimately a film about resilience, patriotism and the cost of recognition. Audiences will leave uplifted by Murli’s relentless "never give up" attitude, moved by the injustices he endures, and energized by the athletic drama of a man who refused to be defined by his disabilities. If you like true-life sports dramas with heart, history and a powerful central performance, this film delivers.

Actors: Kartik Aaryan, Vijay Raaz, Bhuvan Arora

Director: Kabir Khan

Genres: Biography, Drama, Sport

7.9 /10 7.9 /10