'Chandu Champion' review: Lethargic beginning, finally soars in second half
Srikanth, Maidaan, and now Chandu Champion—It's the season of biopics in Bollywood. Headlined by Kartik Aaryan, helmed by Kabir Khan, and based on the unbelievably true story of soldier-sportsman Murlikant Petkar, the film is a tale of two halves. It is decayed and distant from us for most of the first part, but finally comes of age post-intermission, soaring to great heights.
This is what happens in the film
Petkar brought glory to the nation when he won the first Paralympic gold medal for India in swimming in 1972 in Germany. The film begins with his childhood and captures his early years, his burning ambition to become a "champion," no matter the indefatigable odds, his service in the Indian Army, and the traumatic 1965 war that rendered him incapable of walking.
The importance of metaphors in the film
As is the case with several sports films, metaphors abound here. For instance, early on, his victory at a wrestling match quietens the naysayers, and a fight with an opposition group prompts him to soon swim toward his dreams, reach Pune, and join an Army camp. Another such poignant scene transpires in the second half—when everything crashes down, water keeps him afloat.
More on the metaphors and imagery
The film has a lot of incredible transition shots and several sequences take you repeatedly back to something else a few minutes ago, and thus, the messaging and the imagery are not lost. As a child, Chandu's eyes light up when he sees another sportsman, and toward the end, when he visits his village, it's suggested that another child regards him as her hero.
Cinematography helps firmly establish the movie
Khan paints an authentic picture of the early 1950s and takes us through several decades and events of Chandu's life. For instance, he truthfully captures an era gone by in a scene where the entire village gathers together to listen to the Olympic commentary, thus feeling closer to Petkar in spirit. Some wide shots are particularly magnificent, capturing Khan's affair with light and shadows.
Representation of Petkar's resilience and undying spirit
Confined spaces are a recurring theme, accentuated each time something monumental happens. Chandu's life begins with his village's wrestling ring; then, sometime later, he leaves wrestling behind and shifts to the boxing ring, and eventually, fuels life into his lifelong dream in the swimming pool. The film seems to say—that each time Petkar was put under restrictions, he burned the shackles.
Why it falls short of being excellent
Most of my reservations emanate from its first half, which, despite a connective tissue, leaves much to be desired. It's almost as if Chandu's character is thrust upon us too early, and despite Aaryan's career-best efforts, we don't trust him enough to immerse ourselves in his world. It abandons consistency, and scenes are elevated only for them to simply fizzle out too soon.
Aaryan tries his best, but it's not enough
A recurring problem of Aaryan's career is that words escape from his mouth faster than he seems to intend, and that is a drawback because his dialogues here call for gravity, calmness, and a brooding sentiment, something best taught at the Ajay Devgn school of acting! No matter how much Aaryan endeavors, the ghosts of his comedy acting chase him throughout the film.
Where are the women?
While I am impressed that Khan deviated from the usual Bollywood norm and didn't include a full-fledged romance track for the sake of it, CC sorely lacks female representation. You can count the number of female characters on just one hand. Separately, the thrill of real matches—meticulously performed in Maidaan—is amiss, so, you don't really care, because you already know Chandu will taste victory.
Sadly, emotions are largely amiss pre-interval
My first ask in biopics is almost always emotions. This is the front where Chandu Champion suffers the most; Chandu goes from one successful sporting event to the next, one medal to the other, but there aren't enough sentiments to connect with, and things, initially, happen too conveniently. Aaryan delivers a lot of knockouts, but an emotional punch is not one of them.
Eventually, an above-average affair; 3/5 stars
For the most part, Chandu Champion is blinded by the light of its own ambition and keeps missing the bullseye. The pre and post-intermission truly feel like two different films and much of the film's watchability comes from the ever-consistent Vijay Raaz. However, despite the way it languishes in the beginning, CC finally redeems itself eventually, portraying a life well-fought, a life well-lived.
