Kartik Aaryan wins Best Actor National Award for Chandu Champion

Actor Kartik Aaryan won the Best Actor National Award for his role in the movie Chandu Champion. He received the Rajat Kamal and a certificate from President Draupadi Murmu in Gujarat on Tuesday. He shared the award jointly with actor Mammootty, who won for Bramayugam.

The Journey

Chandu Champion came out in 2024 and tells the real-life story of Murlikant Petkar, who was India's first Paralympic gold medalist in freestyle swimming. Kabir Khan directed the film, and Sajid Nadiadwala's company, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, produced it. Kartik had to change his body shape and go through hard physical training to play the athlete.

Gratitude

After winning, Kartik posted an emotional message on social media. He thanked his parents, his friends, and his work team for supporting him through the hard times. He also thanked director Kabir Khan and producer Sajid Nadiadwala for giving him the role. He dedicated his award to every Paralympian in India and to people who chase hard goals. He also thanked the jury, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and the President.