National Film Awards 2026: Kartik Aaryan’s first National Film Award for Best Actor has turned into an emotional moment for the team behind Chandu Champion. Director Kabir Khan has called the honour a “personal win”, saying the recognition belongs not only to the actor but to everyone who helped bring Murlikant Petkar’s story to screen.
Kabir said he called Kartik soon after hearing about the win. The filmmaker credited the award to the actor’s intense preparation for the biographical sports drama, which demanded a major physical and emotional shift from his usual screen image.
Kabir Khan praises Kartik Aaryan’s Chandu Champion performance
Kabir Khan told India Today exclusively, “I’m really happy for Kartik and proud of what he’s achieved with Chandu Champion. It’s a film we all worked incredibly hard on, and Kartik underwent a complete physical and mental transformation. I’m glad that effort has been recognised.”
The director described Kartik’s work in the film as “a performance for the ages”. He also pointed out that mainstream Hindi film actors are often discussed more for their popularity than their acting choices. For Kabir, the National Award acknowledges the craft behind Kartik’s performance.
Chandu Champion is based on the life of Murlikant Petkar, India’s first Paralympic gold medallist. The role required Kartik to portray different stages of Petkar’s life, including his journey as an athlete and his recovery after life-changing injuries.
The preparation behind Kartik Aaryan’s award-winning role
Kabir said Kartik trained for nearly one and a half years to prepare for the part. The actor worked on boxing with international-level athletes, learnt a new dialect, changed his physique, and trained for swimming sequences where he had to perform without using his legs.
The win is also significant for Kartik’s career, as it marks one of his strongest critical breakthroughs after years as a bankable commercial star. For the Chandu Champion team, the award underlines the film’s effort to tell an inspiring sports story with emotional honesty.
Kabir and Kartik are currently working together on their next film. The director said the team plans to celebrate the National Award milestone soon, turning the professional achievement into a shared moment for those who built Chandu Champion with him.
