Nearly a year after Chandu Champion graced the big screen, an unexpected revelation has emerged. Actor Bhuvan Arora, in a recent interview, disclosed that the film was initially meant to feature Sushant Singh Rajput in the lead. According to Arora, the late actor had secured the rights to Murlikant Petkar’s biopic and had personally expressed his intent to portray the Paralympic champion.
“Ironically, I did a movie Chandu Champion. Initially, Sushant was supposed to do it. He had the rights to that film. Story rights were also with Sushant. He must have bought it from Murlikant Petkar. Even Murlikant sir said it in one of the interviews. I bumped into Sushant at the airport and he told me that he was going to do a film about a paralympic swimmer. We both loved acting and used to talk to each other, we discussed on the film,” Arora told Hindi Rush.
The memory faded over time for Arora, until the film’s eventual release jogged it back into focus. He added, “Obviously, it slipped off my mind. Recently, when Chandu Champion was released, I saw an interview of Murlikant sir in which he said that Sushant was supposed to do this film initially. I don’t know the details of it but ironically, that time I wasn’t there in that movie. Now, I was a part of this film but Sushant wasn’t there.”
Directed by Kabir Khan, Chandu Champion premiered in theatres on June 14, 2024. The film portrays the inspiring journey of Murlikant Petkar, India’s first Paralympic gold medallist. Despite its ambitious narrative, the movie received mixed reactions from audiences and critics alike.
As for Sushant Singh Rajput, his untimely death in June 2020 continues to cast a long shadow. He was found dead in his Mumbai apartment, a case that initially suggested suicide but has since remained shrouded in suspicion. While many have accepted the official version, others continue to seek answers, with his family—particularly his sisters—still demanding justice.
