Kabir on 'Chandu Champion's failure: 'Getting repeat viewings on OTT'
Filmmaker Kabir Khan recently spoke about the underperformance of his film Chandu Champion at the box office. The movie, starring Kartik Aaryan in the lead role, was released theatrically on June 14. Despite the film's lackluster performance, Khan expressed his pride in the project and emphasized its impact on audiences. The director also highlighted the film's success on the OTT platform, where it has reportedly garnered repeat viewings.
'Box office not the only parameter to judge film': Khan
During an interview with Mid-Day, Khan asserted that while box office figures are important, they are not the sole measure of a film's success. He said, "Any filmmaker who says that box office doesn't matter is not speaking the truth; it does. But it's not the only parameter to judge a film." The director added that a film's legacy and its impact on audiences are equally significant.
'Chandu Champion' and '83' witnessed repeat viewings on OTT
Further, Khan highlighted the success of Chandu Champion and his previous film 83 on OTT platforms. He said, "With Chandu Champion now and 83 (2021) earlier, there have been repeat viewings on OTT." "People kept going back to the film. That shows a film's legacy. In terms of box office numbers, my first film, Kabul Express [2006] was the lowest out of all my films. But after 18 years, people come up to me and say they loved it."
Khan praised Aaryan's dedication to the film
Khan also praised lead actor Aaryan for his dedication to the film. He revealed that Aaryan had to undergo a significant physical transformation for his role, reducing his body fat from 39% to 7%. The actor also spent a year and a half learning boxing for the film. Khan commended Aaryan's commitment and acknowledged the challenges he faced during the filming process. The movie is available for streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
'Chandu Champion' wins big at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne
Despite its box office performance, Chandu Champion recently won several awards at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM). Khan took home the Best Director trophy, while Aaryan was honored with the Best Actor award. Chandu Champion is a biopic of Murlikant Petkar—India's first Paralympic gold medalist. The film chronicles Petkar's life and the challenges he faced in his journey to success. The film also marks Aaryan's first collaboration with Khan.
