New Delhi [India], July 18 : Filmmaker Kabir Khan has expressed his joy after actor Kartik Aaryan won the Best Actor in a Leading Role award at the 72nd National Film Awards for his performance in 'Chandu Champion', saying the honour is a victory for everyone associated with the film.
Kartik shared the prestigious award with Malayalam superstar Mammootty, who was recognised for his performance in 'Bramayugam'.
Reacting to the achievement, Kabir Khan said he was delighted to see Kartik's hard work being acknowledged at the highest level.
"Yes, of course it's a win for all of us. I'm thrilled that Kartik got the National Award for his performance in 'Chandu Champion'. It shows that hard work and dedication truly pays off," Kabir Khan told ANI.
Directed and produced by Kabir Khan, 'Chandu Champion' tells the inspiring tale of a determined athlete. Kartik Aaryan portrays Chandu in this film, which is based on the life of Murlikant Petkar, India's first Paralympic gold medalist in freestyle swimming.The film was released in 2024.
Kartik underwent a significant physical transformation and intensive training to portray the athlete on screen. His performance received widespread appreciation from audiences and critics upon the film's release.
At the 72nd National Film Awards, Kartik and Mammootty were jointly honoured with the Best Actor in a Leading Role award for their performances in 'Chandu Champion' and 'Bramayugam', respectively.
'Article 370' won the Best Feature Film award, while Bhangaar was named Best Non-Feature Film and Ram-Nami received the Best Documentary award.
The awards were announced by Shri Jayaraj, Chairperson of the Feature Film Jury, Shri Aseem Sinha, Chairperson of the Non-Feature Film Jury, Shri A. Chandrasekhar, Chairperson of the Best Writing on Cinema Jury in the presence of Dr. Ajay Nagabhushan M.N., Joint Secretary (Films) and Shri Dhirendra Ojha, Principal Director General, Press Information Bureau (PIB).
The National Film Awards are among India's most prestigious honours in cinema, recognising excellence in feature films, non-feature films and writing on cinema. The 72nd edition celebrated outstanding achievements across Indian languages and genres, with several films and artistes being honoured for their artistic and technical contributions.