Exclusive - Kartik Aaryan on prepping up for ‘Chandu Champion’, says "It took a toll on me, both physically and mentally; aasaan nahi tha ye process"

Kartik said his only effort was that in his shots he should look like Murlikant and not Kartik to the audience.

Bollywood's current hearthrob, Kartik Aaryan, has surprised everyone with his chiseled looks in the upcoming movie 'Chandu Champion'. The actor had to follow a strict regime for the part of Chandu in this movie directed by Kabir Khan.

Kartik had to bring down his body fat from 39 percent to 7 percent, which is reflective of the looks that have been released in the posters and songs of the film 'Chandu Champion.'

Kartik, along with Kabir Khan, was in Delhi for the film's promotions, and the dynamic duo spoke exclusively with Moneycontrol.

Kartik revealed that being a Chandu Champion was difficult for him, both physically and mentally. He has termed it the most challenging role of his acting career.

When asked about his preparation for the role of Chandu in the movie, he said the most difficult thing about the entire process was to look for the part of an athlete—a swimmer, a boxer.

The movie is based on Padma Shri Awardee and former soldier Murlikant Petkar, who was injured in the 1965 war, and then his life took a 360-degree turn. He became a paralympic champion.

Talking about the role, Kartik added that during the course of the preps too, he was only thinking of being Chandu and imbibing Mr. Murlikant Petkar's way.

"I think more than anything, prep mode for this role was really, really challenging because a lot of prep went into looking the part and also getting into the skin of the character in terms of thinking or talking, or just basically the imagery Kabir sir had asked me to portray. So I had to follow a certain kind—may be the body language of an athlete—who would know how to work, who would know how to swim, and who would know how to be in a boxing ring. So, a lot of prep went into all these aspects, and it took a toll on me—both physically and mentally—because it was something that required a lot of patience and persistence. I was just in a state of mind where I was only thinking of Chandu Champion, only thinking of Murlikant Petkar ji and his thought process or anything to do with him and around him. That is something that has been really challenging for me. We used to do lots and lots of workshops, reading sessions, and extensive sessions about, in fact, small, small things about deconstructing the sentences. Joke hisaab se sahi jayenge ya nahi jayenge," he told MoneyControl.

Kartik said his only effort was that in his shots he should look like Murlikant and not Kartik to the audience.

"I was deconstructing myself ki main Kartik na dikhoon screen par. I think ye sara process aik saath basic se dheere dheere chal raha tha and bahut mehnat leagi usme. I hope ki sabko dikhe," he added.

Kartik Aaryan had launched the trailer for Chandu Champion in his home town, Gwalior. On being asked what the reason was, he said it was a special film of his journey, and Gwalior holds a special place in his heart.

He was accompanied by his father at the trailer launch. Kartik said his father got emotional, and he had to ask him not to cry.

"He was getting emotional. Main unhe keh raha tha aap rona matt yahan par. He nodded and said yes. Maine kaha room par ro lenge. Both of us got really emotional, and it is a place from where I come from, and for me to launch a trailer over there was a big thing."

"I am really proud of this film, and I just wanted that to happen. And Kabir sir, I think, asked the entire team to come there and do this. I think it was in sync with my journey and Chandu Champion's journey in a way. So, I felt that was the reason," said Kartik.

Talking about his future projects, Kartik says he wants his fans to see him as an entertainer who can do any genre.

"I think I am an entertainer, and it just doesn't mean ki comedy karke hi entertain honge, log emotional scenes mein bhi entertain hi hote hain, because I think it is a form of jisse aik world mein le jaa rahe hai aur woh entertain hi ho rahe hai wahan par, and sab kuch bhool karke woh uss part mein hain. I am enjoying that process of maybe breaking that part where I am not just doing comedy or romantic roles. I am doing all the genres, but I am not trying to experiment for the sake of it," he says.

Kartik said he wants to do every genre and doesn't want to be selective on purpose.

"I am doing what my gut is saying or asking me to do—ki ye film mujhe sahi lag rahi hai, abhi mujhe woh film sahi lag rahi hai. Kal ko agar mujhe 4 comedies sahi mein achchi lag gayi back to back toh main woh bhi kar doonga. But my thought process is ki mujhe woh sunte time achcha lagna chahiye bas and (12:54), then when I like something, I am very selfish about it. Toh main uss script ko jaane nahi deta main. Main believe nahi karta hoon ki main aik hi genre jaise action kar raha hoon back to back toh woh nahi chalegi. Agar woh achchi film hai toh woh dono chalegi, ya dono logon ko pasand ayegi. That's my way going forward, and that's what I have been doing too," he added.

Kartik Aaryan was also joined by director Kabir Khan, and he spoke about what made him sign the actor for this role.

He also revealed that he didn't have any other actor in mind for the role of Chandu in his film 'Chandu Champion.'

"When I was writing the script itself, there was a certain image that you create for the character, and at that stage itself, Kartik was definitely thinking about it because there was some youthfulness in the character I needed, which was there in him. I had already seen his performances in earlier films, but those films were not necessarily giving me a clue as to whether he could perform Chandu Champion or not. There are certain other elements you want to discover, so the process was only meeting and chatting. It was a very casual meeting; we met for dinner, and it was meant to be a half-hour conversation, but it ended up being a two and a half-hour conversation. And in that itself, we started understanding that there is a certain vibe, an understanding we have, and an ease of communication that the two of us have. Kabhi kabhi hota hai na kisi ke saath aap baat hi nahi kar sakte, woh thoda sa lagta hai that it is not going anywhere. But that ease was there from our first meeting itself. So you knew that he was the person you could communicate with. And in the course of the subsequent two or three meetings, I saw elements that I thought would be correct for Chandu Champion, and that's when we got down seriously talking about the story, and then I even narrated parts of the story to him, and that's when we finally decided to come together," said Kabir.

Kartik Aaryan starrer 'Chandu Champion' directed by Kabir Khan and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, will release on June 14.