The story of Sumit Arora is much like the protagonist of his film Chandu Champion, whose underlying theme of a small town boy who dreamed big struck a chord with the screenwriter.
The movie stars Kartik Aaryan in the lead and is inspired by the life of India’s first Paralympic gold medallist Murlikant Petkar.
Sumit, who was born in Meerut, co-wrote the script with the film’s director Kabir Khan and Sudipto Sarkar, said that the story felt like a fable.
“As a writer, I always look for a theme that can resonate with me. I grew up in a small town in Uttar Pradesh, nobody around me had visited Mumbai, forget about working in the film industry,” said Sumit.
He added that when he revealed his plans of working in films, he was mocked by people. He continued, “I could connect with [Murlikant Petkar’s story], the idea of a small town boy with a big dream, and its relentless pursuit felt very personal.”
Petkar was originally a boxer in the Indian Army, however, he switched to swimming after losing his legs in 1965 war. He won India’s first ever medal in freestyle swimming at the Paralympics in Heidelberg, Germany, in 1972.
