Despite a global release and positive word-of-mouth, the new Hindi film “Chandu Champion” had a lackluster opening at the box office, closing its first weekend with a modest $3.7 million in global earnings.
The film stars Kartik Aaryan and is directed by Kabir Khan, known for his work on “83” and “Bajrangi Bhaijaan.” It tells the inspiring real-life story of Murlikant Petkar, a gold medalist at the 1972 Summer Paralympics.
Trade analysts had modest expectations for the film, predicting an opening day collection of less than $1 million. “Chandu Champion” nearly met these projections, earning $950,000 globally and $560,000 in India on its first day, June 14.
Positive word-of-mouth significantly boosted the film’s performance on its second day. Saturday saw the film’s collections in India nearly double, reaching $950,000. By the end of the second day, the film’s worldwide total crossed the $2 million mark, with India contributing $1.5 million to that figure.
Sunday proved to be the film’s best day, with Indian box office collections exceeding $1 million. Globally, “Chandu Champion” wrapped up its first weekend with a total of $3.7 million.
“Chandu Champion” marks Kartik Aaryan’s first venture into the sports biopic genre, and it stands as one of his major releases. The film was released across 3,200 screens in India and an additional 1,300 screens internationally. Despite this wide release, the film’s box office performance has been underwhelming compared to expectations.
Aaryan portrays Murlikant Petkar, who won a gold medal in the 50-meter freestyle swimming event at the 1972 Summer Paralympics in Germany. Produced by Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment and Kabir Khan Films, “Chandu Champion” also features Vijay Raaz and Bhuvan Arora in significant roles.
While the film’s initial box office numbers have been disappointing, the positive reception from audiences might help it gain traction in the coming weeks. However, it remains to be seen whether “Chandu Champion” can recover and achieve the success its makers had hoped for.