“For 1.5 Years, Kartik Lived the Life of an Athlete” — Kabir Khan on the Relentless Journey of Chandu Champion

When Chandu Champion hit screens, it didn’t just narrate the story of a sports legend — it redefined the very meaning of cinematic dedication, thanks to Kartik Aaryan’s transformation into Murlikant Petkar. Director Kabir Khan’s reflections on Kartik’s commitment reveal the extraordinary lengths the actor went to — body, mind, and soul.

“On a minute-to-minute basis, because it was not an easy transformation. It was not an easy journey to undertake. I had to put in a huge team of physical trainers, physiotherapists, dietitians, boxing coaches, swimming coaches, and wrestling coaches. It was a massive team. And literally, for 1.5 years, Kartik has lived the life of an athlete. He would wake up early in the morning, go to the gym, have his food, and then go for a boxing session. Then come back and sleep. We even had to monitor his sleep,” had said Kabir Khan, emphasizing the scale of discipline involved.

This transformation wasn’t just physical — it restructured Kartik’s entire way of life. Kabir added, “When I met him, he was an insomniac and used to sleep for four hours. I told Kartik ‘For this journey, if you don’t sleep for eight hours minimum, there’s no point in undertaking this journey.’ He (Kartik) said  , ‘For this character, my life became different’. Today he’s somebody who sleeps for eight hours, looks at everything he eats, has a very fit lifestyle.”

Aaryan’s metamorphosis has been both sustainable and natural. “He has undergone this transformation in the natural way. That’s a great advantage because when you do it naturally, it stays with you for life. Sometimes you see a lot of films and actors look really ripped and muscular, and then you see them six months later and say, ‘Where did all that go?’ The advantage is that with him, it’s not going to go anywhere because it’s become his lifestyle now,” said Kabir.

Kartik’s performance in Chandu Champion has widely been hailed as career-defining and National Award-worthy, with critics and audiences calling it a film that demonstrates the power of cinema. Beyond physical transformation, his portrayal brought emotional depth to the life of Murlikant Petkar — India’s first Paralympic gold medalist — and played a pivotal role in finally getting the sports icon his long-due recognition.

From romantic dramas to supernatural thrillers, Kartik’s choices continue to reflect versatility and ambition. Up next, he is all set to headline Anurag Basu’s untitled musical love story, followed by the highly anticipated Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri, and the big-scale mass entertainer Naagzilla. With three genres, one hero, his lineup is nothing short of a masterstroke.

In an era where stardom often rests on vanity, Kartik Aaryan’s journey in Chandu Champion stands out as a rare tale of grit, growth, and greatness — both on screen and off it.