Key Highlights:

  • Kartik Aaryan received the National Award for Best Actor on September 22 for playing Paralympic champion Murlikant Petkar in "Chandu Champion."
  • Director Kabir Khan celebrated the win, telling Kartik to "always walk like a tiger."
  • Kartik dedicated the honour to his parents, friends, team and every Paralympian in the country.
  • He thanked Kabir Khan and Sajid Nadiadwala for trusting him with the responsibility of playing India's first Paralympic gold medallist.
  • Kartik called the win the beginning of "many more milestones to come."

A Career-Defining Honour

Bollywood actor Kartik Aaryan marked a major milestone in his career as he received the National Award for Best Actor on September 22 for his performance as Paralympic champion Murlikant Petkar in "Chandu Champion."

Kabir Khan's Celebratory Message

Kabir Khan celebrated Kartik's National Award win on social media. Sharing a picture with the actor, Kabir wrote, "Humesha Sher ki chaal Chalna mere champion... with that unmistakable laugh of yours…," a warm and characteristically encouraging message from the director who cast him in the demanding role.

Kartik's Dedication of the Honour

Kartik, meanwhile, dedicated the honour to the people who supported him throughout his journey, including his parents, friends and team, framing the achievement as a collective one rather than solely an individual triumph.

A Heartfelt Note on Social Media

Following the honour, Kartik took to social media to share a heartfelt note. He wrote, "Looking back affectionately with a smile at that mumma's boy from Gwalior who dared to dream of becoming an actor from an environment, Finally, I witnessed and lived the moment... still numb with excitement and nervousness... A dream of a small town boy...the dream of every actor in the country...The National Award for Best Actor 'Chandu Nahi, Champion hai Main'."

Gratitude Toward His Directors

"I will always be grateful and indebted to Kabir sir and Sajid sir for trusting me with the responsibility of playing India's first Paralympic Gold Champion, Murlikant Petkar sir, on the big screen. The journey was extremely painful, but the result is as sweet as rasmalai! I feel humbled and emotional at the same time," he added, reflecting on the physical and emotional demands of portraying a real-life Paralympic gold medallist.

Acknowledging His Support System

He further added, "The only constant companions in this long journey have been my belief in myself, my backbone, my parents' blessings, their unconditional love and support, my friends' encouragement at every juncture when I was losing hope, and my team, who works tirelessly to make my work life smooth. Thank you to everyone who has been part of this impossible journey. I would love to share my biggest honour with every Paralympian in the country and with everyone who dares to dream the impossible and never gives up!"

Thanking the Jury and Officials

He added, "Thanks to the respected Jury, I&B Ministry and the honourable president for the moment. In the end, I would like to believe and say that this is just the beginning of many more milestones to come… Ganpati Bappa Morya," closing his message on a note of gratitude toward the institutions responsible for the award while also framing this achievement as a stepping stone rather than a career peak.