"I came across his story by chance:" Kabir Khan on discovering athlete Murlikant Petkar's journey

New Delhi [lndia], June 6 : As 'Chandu Champion' generates excitement ahead of its release, director Kabir Khan revealed how he stumbled upon the story of the athlete Murlikant Petkar by chance.
During a media interaction Kabir said, "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."
"And if it was true, it was hard to believe that we didn't know about him. If he was such a big hero, how could we not know him? That's where it started, and it also took us a long time to find him. No one knew where he was because he was truly an unsung hero. A few months later, when we finally found him, there was no stopping us," he added.
Kabir also spoke about why he chose Kartik Aaryan to play 'Chandu Champion.'
"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. It's very important for me to see that energy in the actor," he said.
"Kartik had all the elements needed for Chandu Champion. I needed a lot of elements for this character, and I realized that Kartik definitely had the raw material to play Chandu Champion. More importantly, he had the correct energy and attitude to undertake such a journey," he added.
Directed by Kabir Khan, 'Chandu Champion' tells the inspiring tale of a determined athlete. Kartik Aaryan portrays Chandu in this film, which is based on the life of Murlikant Petkar, India's first Paralympic gold medalist in freestyle swimming.
Set to release on June 14, the film aims to engage audiences with its story of resilience and determination.