After leaving his fans intrigued by his look in his upcoming film, Chandu Champion, actor Kartik Aaryan finally released the trailer of his ‘toughest’ project in his own hometown Gwalior, and it is packs a punch. (Also read: Chandu Champion new poster: Kartik Aaryan impresses in fierce look, dons boxing gloves)

On Saturday, in Gwalior, the Captain Roop Singh Cricket stadium in the city was packed with fans and admirers of the actor, who made way to the venue much before the arrival of the actor despite the heat. And the wait was worth it as they welcomed Kartik with huge cheers, whistles, chants and fireworks.

Kartik packs a punch in the trailer

Directed by Kabir Khan, the film will see Kartik in the role of a boxer, wrestler, and soldier. It is a biopic of Murlikant Petkar, India’s first Paralympic gold medalist. The highlight of the trailer is the way or shows the journey and different phases of Kartik, on reel and real life. The actor has undergone physical transformation for the character. Chandu Champion is the story of a man who dreams to become a champion. To hone his skills to represent India in the Olympics, he joins the Army. That’s how his journey starts.

The trailer opens with a scene of Kartik as Chandu waking up from a come after two years in 1967 since getting injured in war. After that, the clip takes the audience on an emotional journey. It shows a scene where young Chandu tells his schoolteacher he wants to be a wrestler, his classmates make fun of him and tease him with ‘Chandu Champion’ remarks. That name stays with him. That shows his journey of his fight and challenge to wipe that name out of his life.

The trailer is filled with many emotional moments, backed with larger than life visuals.

The show must go on

Reflecting the never give spirit of the film, Kartik launched the trailer of the film on Saturday just days after the death of his relatives in the hoarding collapse in Ghatkopar in Mumbai.

Kartik’s relatives Manoj Chansoria and Anita Chansoria were among the 16 people, who died in the tragic hoarding collapse in Mumbai’s Ghatkopar area on Monday. He also attended the funeral of his relatives.

Just days after the personal tragedy, Kartik joined Kabir and producer Sajid Nadiadwalala for the event. At the trailer launch, he was asked how he felt to be in hometown, he said, “This is a dream come true moment for me. This is where I had dreamt to be an actor and to bring the toughest film of my career here is incredibly special”.

“Mentally how am I feeling? Kaafi kuch chal raha hai meri life mein (lots going on in life) but the show must go on. I’m just fortunate that all of you could join us for the trailer launch of the film here,” he told the crowd as they cheered for him.

It was after the release of 2021 Ranveer Singh starrer 83, which is based on Indian cricket team’s win at the 1983 World Cup in England, that Kabir announced Chandu Champion. This film is also based on a true story. It traces the life of Murlikant Petkar, India’s first Paralympic gold medalist who won a gold medal in the 1972 Summer Paralympics in Germany.

Earlier, Kabir shared the poster of the film and wrote, “The story of ‘Chandu Champion’ is an incredibly inspiring true story but the journey that Kartik went through to become this champion is no less inspiring. I met him when he had put on weight for a role. He had 39 per cent body fat. I told him that he had to portray an international level multi-disciplinary sportsperson. He just smiled and said “ I will do it Sir”. A year and a half later with no use of steroids – something that he was adamant about – we took this photo on set. Body fat 7 per cent!! I’m proud of you.”

The film, jointly produced by Sajid Nadiadwala and Kabir Khan, is slated to release on the big screen on June 14.