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00:00And it's such a beautiful inspiring story that even when I heard the story for the first time from Kabir sir
00:06I was amazed and I was sad
00:08Knowing that it's such a wonderful story, which every kid and everyone should actually know and celebrate
00:16Not just in India, but globally everywhere and because it's such a universal and unique story
00:23where a man who refused to surrender to all the obstacles or hurdles in his life and chose to achieve his dream
00:32is wonderful, it's celebratory, it's victorious and I think this is a story, it's not a sports biopic as per say
00:40Sports is just a background
00:44Good afternoon, this is Manjusha Radhakrishnan from Gulf News Tabloid
00:47I'm the entertainment editor and today we have Bollywood's man of the moment
00:50who's also the king of transformation, it's Karthik Karan
00:53Karthik, you look amazing by the way, Chandu champion
00:56I almost did not recognize you, I had to take actually, I had to look again
00:59I was like you did this, well done you
01:02And in this movie he plays a Paralympic champion
01:05I'm not very aware of him, honestly you need to tell me more about him
01:10It's a biopic on a real life inspiring athlete
01:14On Muralikant Pedkar, the sad reality is none of us know about his story
01:22and it's such a beautiful inspiring story that even when I heard the story for the first time from Kabir sir
01:28I was amazed and I was sad knowing that it's such a wonderful story which every kid
01:34and everyone should actually know and celebrate
01:38not just in India but globally, everywhere
01:41and because it's such a universal and unique story
01:45where a man who refused to surrender to all the obstacles or hurdles in his life
01:52and chose to achieve his dream, it's wonderful, it's celebratory, it's victorious
01:58and I think this is a story, it's not a sports biopic as per say, sports is just a background
02:04it's a theme but there is so much more and it's a journey of this man and his zeal
02:12and also a very human story, a triumph of human spirit
02:18which is very important in today's day and age for people to actually get inspired
02:25and this is one story which I really enjoyed when I heard it
02:30and it was so unreal to be true
02:32so I had to ask this question to Kabir sir that is this really true?
02:36you have to keep checking, this really happened in real life
02:40I checked on him and he told me that it's all facts and it's all logical
02:44it's just that anything regarding him was not available on the internet or anywhere else
02:51and we just had few glimpses of him of his recent time
02:57and not even of his younger age, it was just so bizarre that such a unique story
03:07was not out there and was not out there for people to celebrate
03:11I love that and also Kartik honestly when somebody said that you are working with Kabir Khan
03:17I was like that's a very unlikely combination, can I tell you?
03:20I did not expect Kabir Khan to choose you, I will be honest with you
03:23because he is the most commercial guy, if I need a good laugh I go to you always
03:28and so Kabir Khan's movies are different, it's a bit cerebral, a bit serious
03:33were you surprised when he came to you with a role?
03:36No, I think
03:38you were, come on, you were like really?
03:40I was actually happy, I was excited, I was happy that this was happening
03:45and when he narrated me the story, I was really happy, all the more happy
03:51because this is the kind of film that I always wanted to do
03:54and the way this film will inspire a lot of people in a very entertaining manner
04:03that is what cinema is, that is what I feel entertainment industry is
04:09so I was really happy when Kabir sir narrated me the story and we jammed on it
04:17and we were supposed to just meet for like 15-20 minutes
04:20and I didn't expect anything of that sort
04:24but then somehow we just clicked on our first meeting itself
04:29and that meeting went on for like 2 hours, 2 and a half hours
04:32and we were just chit chatting about projects and films and ideas
04:36and then he told me about Chandu Champion and the idea
04:42and about Muralikant Pedkar ji
04:44and I was just surprised
04:46and it also required you to like physically transform yourself
04:51you looked leaner and you needed to have how much percentage of body fat to be exact
04:57I was like that's body fat I didn't even know existed
05:00I was supposed to be, actually I was asked to be on the levels of around 12% or 13%
05:09but then and because I started from 39% body fat
05:13which is huge, which was so much
05:15because I had done Freddie before this
05:17and I had to gain a lot of weight
05:19and then of course I didn't need to go shirtless maybe or nothing
05:25yeah this is not for aesthetic purposes
05:27it's not like for a night and song
05:29exactly, so what happened was then from Freddie I had to start prepping for Chandu Champion
05:37and so that was the most difficult part
05:40because I didn't know how to lose so much weight
05:43and I didn't know how, we just gained that much amount of weight
05:47I gained it for a film
05:50but I was not getting the right approach to go back to where I was
05:55and go in a very muscular and athletic form
05:58athletic form is different
05:59that is different from where I was also
06:02so yeah I needed some trainers and some people who were really good at their job
06:08so Kabir sir handpicked them
06:11and thanks to all my trainers
06:13from my swimming coach to my boxing coach to my gym trainers
06:16to my physios to everybody associated
06:19they really changed the game for me
06:23but my thing was I was patiently waiting for like one and a half years
06:30because I had this goal that I have to achieve in one and a half years
06:34and I was really, I didn't have a social life
06:40I was just going to my home or my gym or my swimming pool or a boxing arena
06:46so you had blinkers approach
06:47exactly, I had blinkers on and I was just doing what was required for Chandu Champion
06:54and my diet, my food, everything was just
06:58I was having very very less carbs or next to no carbs itself
07:03it was more of fibers, it was more of salads
07:06it was more of, the diet was totally
07:08dal, roti, sabzi, chaap, yeh sab hat chuka tha meri life se
07:12I used to have this one soup in the night and then go to sleep after an hour
07:18and that soup, I remember that entire diet from the start of the day till the end of the day
07:25I repeated that till one and a half years exactly
07:29woh poora time yeh hi khata raha
07:32usme ek bhi change nahi aaya, there was no cheat meal on my
07:35be it my birthday, be it Diwali, be it Eid, anything
07:38no no but that's brilliant and actors able to do this
07:41did you know that you have that kind of iron will
07:43no I didn't know that
07:44was that even surprising to you
07:46that you know what, I can do it if I put my mind to it
07:48so I have this thing where I believe a lot
07:54I have this self belief that I can do anything
07:57but I didn't think it through
08:00I never had a chance to think about this ki arey
08:02you know you think about it, haan body toh main bana dunga
08:05and stuff like that, jab main gym jaunga toh main body bana dunga
08:07ya flippant, ya like it happens
08:09but when this opportunity came my way
08:12and for the first time I was doing it for a genre film
08:15which is very important and dependent on this
08:18because if I don't look the part
08:20then the whole film falls apart
08:22so I had to look the part
08:25so I think a sword was on my head
08:28and I had to be responsible for it
08:32so I took an effort and hopefully and thankfully
08:36we reached not just to a 12% fat level
08:41but to a 7% fat level
08:44which was an unreal thing for me
08:48to really achieve that
08:50what do you expect from this movie Karthik
08:52I know with other movies, I totally know it
08:54entertainment box office success
08:56with this is it the awards or is it
08:58what do you want?
08:59like with every movie an actor says na I have a goal
09:02with this I hope to get
09:03what do you hope to achieve?
09:04I see, I still wanted to
09:06it's not like I wouldn't want my film to be profitable
09:09I want it to be a success
09:13and I want
09:15and I have already been rewarded
09:17I have seen people's reaction to it
09:20I have seen the trailer's reaction to it
09:22or even a single poster or a glimpse reaction to it
09:26and I know that this is
09:28and the process
09:30leave aside the validation from people
09:32but it's more about the process also
09:34which I really enjoyed
09:35it was the most difficult time of my life
09:39because I was not eating
09:42I was just hungry
09:43and I had to be physically fit
09:45and mentally fit
09:46in every way possible
09:48and it was just
09:50bizarre that I am saying this
09:52but I really enjoyed that process after a point
09:55I started enjoying the process
09:57because I could see the result
09:58I could see a change in my lifestyle
10:00I had a problem of not sleeping on time
10:03and I used to sleep for like 2 hours, 3 hours
10:05and go to work
10:06and that too I used to sleep at around 5 am, 6 am, 4 am
10:11the first thing that we
10:13we broke this pattern
10:15we changed it to
10:16going to bed early
10:18first we reached at 3 am
10:19then 2 am
10:20then 1 am
10:21and finally at 11, 10, 10.30
10:23I used to just
10:24lights off and I used to just go to sleep
10:26even now do you carry off?
10:27even now 10, 11 is my off time
10:29oh my god this movie ruined you
10:31from the party boy to the disciplined athlete guy
10:34so I never used to party before also
10:36but maybe meeting my friends
10:38or maybe
10:39just staying up
10:40I watch reels
10:41till 1.30
10:42just staying up
10:43thinking about work
10:44you know just thinking about work maybe
10:46that's it
10:47and doing nothing
10:48or watching something
10:49on
10:50yeah so
10:51so that was my thing
10:52and
10:53and I used to think also that I am wasting my time
10:55I should be sleeping right now
10:56but
10:57I never used to sleep
10:58so
10:59I think that
11:00all that has changed
11:01so this movie has taught you discipline
11:02in a way that you never thought even school could
11:04your parents could
11:06in some ways right
11:07like go to bed early
11:08you know
11:09good things happen to good people
11:10in my school time at least I used to do that
11:12but this thing
11:13this film
11:14or this character
11:15really changed my life in a way where
11:17my entire lifestyle has changed
11:19it has taught me
11:20it has given me so much dedication
11:22in every way possible
11:24and
11:25and lots of planning
11:26lots of
11:27you know
11:28routine change
11:29everything around me has changed
11:31right
11:32your personal life I think
11:33would have taken a hit right
11:34because you are prepping for a movie
11:36there was no personal life
11:38zero personal life
11:39zero personal life
11:40ok
11:41since then there has been no personal life
11:43no but
11:44is that what actors do the best
11:45I think
11:46nowadays right
11:47they are ready to put in anything
11:48if it means a great
11:50you know
11:51a great movie
11:52or this could be your
11:53career altering movie as well for you
11:55right
11:56this is
11:57this is that rare opportunity
11:59that you get in your life
12:01you know
12:02and
12:03in your career
12:04it's a
12:05it's a lifetime of an opportunity
12:06to play this kind of a character
12:08and
12:09and I really believe so
12:10I am really proud of this film
12:12and
12:13for me
12:14as an actor
12:15I would go to
12:16to any level
12:17to
12:18to actually
12:19portray the character well
12:20and
12:21and to
12:22and my directors and producers
12:23and everybody associated with my
12:25films
12:26they know that how
12:27invested I am in my films
12:28or my character
12:29yeah
12:30and so that's why you
12:31when you see a
12:32a
12:33a Freddy also
12:34so I am ready to gain weight
12:35when you see
12:36a
12:37Sonu Ke Titu Ki Sweety
12:38so you will see that
12:39entertaining Sonu in it
12:41yeah
12:42so I
12:43I try to shift gears also
12:44I try to do
12:45what is true to the
12:47genre or the script
12:48and
12:49and yeah
12:50I enjoy that process
12:51I really enjoy
12:52and
12:53and I am really passionate
12:54towards my films
12:55so
12:56I would go to any level
12:57right
12:58or
12:59do
13:00yeah
13:01whatever it takes for my films
13:02right
13:03and for my characters to be real
13:04amazing
13:05and last question
13:06are you at a good place in your career
13:07you think
13:08because you invested
13:09one and a half years of your life
13:10as well
13:11two years
13:12two years
13:13that's a long time I feel
13:14you know for any actor
13:15right
13:16did you feel a sense of
13:17like I am not doing enough
13:18at that point
13:19like oh my god
13:20am I missing out
13:21like FOMO
13:22fear of missing out
13:23was it there
13:24I think at that time
13:25from
13:26from doing four films
13:27in like couple of years
13:28to just doing one film
13:29in like
13:30two years
13:31it's
13:32it's
13:33it's
13:34it's a sudden change
13:35sudden shift for me
13:36okay
13:37so it felt like
13:38there was some kind of
13:39hollowness also
13:40where I felt
13:41that I am not
13:42working
13:43I am
13:44I am prepping
13:45and I am prepping
13:46that's what happens
13:47in Hollywood
13:48they take years
13:49yeah
13:50because I was just prepping
13:51I was not shooting
13:52I was not going out
13:53I was just doing
13:54my workouts
13:55I was eating right
13:56and that was
13:57my boot camp
13:58and that was
13:59for a year
14:00and a half
14:01yes
14:03without even shooting
14:04for a single frame
14:05of the film
14:06so which is what
14:07I
14:08I thought I would
14:09I
14:10I never thought
14:11this would happen
14:12in my life
14:13but
14:14it did
14:15and I just continued
14:16on that journey
14:17once I started
14:18I said yes to it
14:19I went on
14:20to that journey
14:21with
14:22utmost power
14:23and full throttle
14:24no I love it
14:25and also you are the
14:26poster child
14:27of making it
14:28on your own steam
14:29to reach so far
14:30you must be
14:31I didn't have
14:32powerful uncles
14:33and aunts
14:34to back you up
14:35which is a natural feeling
14:36if you make it
14:37on your own steam
14:38it's always you
14:39sometimes I do
14:40pat my back
14:41and sometimes
14:42I feel that
14:43what if there were
14:44it was an
14:45even playing field
14:46you know
14:47you feel like
14:48that
14:49in certain
14:50opportunities
14:51in certain
14:52kind of
14:53when you are
14:54compared to people
14:55who get opportunities
14:56on their platter
14:57yeah
14:58and when you
14:59when you are
15:00compared to
15:01people who
15:02get opportunities
15:03so it's not
15:04an even ground
15:05and it's not
15:06an even comparison
15:07so
15:08but having said that
15:09you feel
15:10all the more proud
15:11yeah
15:12that you
15:13you're making
15:14your own name
15:15on your own
15:16yes
15:17there's nobody else
15:18who
15:19who's helping you
15:20out with it
15:21and it's my
15:22gut feeling
15:23with my films
15:24with my characters
15:25if it doesn't work
15:26it's my
15:27my choice
15:28if it works
15:29for all the flops
15:30and for all the hits
15:31I'm the one
15:32who's to blame
15:33and I'm really proud
15:34of that journey
15:35and I'm
15:36I'm making my own plate
15:37rather than
15:38somebody giving it to me
15:39so
15:40yeah
15:41so you feel
15:42all the more
15:43proud of
15:44of it
15:45and proud about it
15:46but
15:47but I'm never content
15:48I feel that
15:49whenever
15:50you get content
15:51and
15:52and a lot of actors
15:53will be saying this also
15:54because
15:55that's the reality of it
15:56if you get content
15:57with your job
15:58I will never
15:59race again
16:00true
16:01so
16:02if I get attached
16:03to a hit film of mine
16:04I will never
16:05again
16:06go in that race
16:07and
16:08and make another hit
16:09so
16:10so that is what
16:11I don't attach myself
16:12to success or failure
16:13nice
16:14and
16:15and I just go with the film
16:16and the process
16:17and I just enjoy it
16:18lovely
16:19no guts no glory
16:20that should be your tagline by the way
16:21it shouldn't be for this movie of course
16:22but well done
16:23on your career
16:24and thank you for entertaining us
16:25thank you so much
16:26yeah
16:28yeah
16:29yeah
16:30yeah
16:31yeah
16:32yeah
16:33yeah
16:34yeah
16:35yeah
16:36yeah
16:37yeah
16:38yeah
16:39yeah
16:40yeah
16:41yeah
16:42yeah
16:43yeah
16:44yeah
16:45yeah
16:46yeah
16:47yeah
16:48yeah
16:49yeah
16:50yeah
16:51yeah
16:52yeah
16:53yeah
16:54yeah
16:55yeah
16:56yeah