Cinema VinesKartik Aaryan has added a National Film Award to his growing list of accolades after being named Best Actor at the 72nd National Film Awards for his portrayal of Murlikant Petkar in the biographical sports drama Chandu Champion. The 31‑year‑old actor shared his elation on Instagram, posting images from the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain where he offered prayers to Lord Shiva.
In the photos, Aaryan wore a baby‑pink shirt, folded his hands in reverence and had a tilak on his forehead. He captioned the post simply, “Jai Mahakal.” He also posted a picture of himself sitting beside his parents, participating in the Shayan Aarti and whispering his wishes into the ear of Nandi Maharaj before bowing at the shrine of Lord Mahakal.
The award came after the actor and Malayalam legend Mammootty were announced as joint winners for Best Actor at the ceremony. Aaryan had previously posted a tearful video of his mother’s reaction to the news, writing, “Still processing… Some moments are simply bigger than words, and this is one of them. A dream I’ve carried for years has finally come true. Forever humbled, forever grateful. Best Actor National Award.” It is his first National Award.
Petkar, the first Indian Paralympic gold medallist, is the central figure of Chandu Champion, which was written and directed by Kabir Khan and produced by Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment. The film also stars Vijay Raaz, Bhuvan Arora, Yashpal Sharma, Rajpal Yadav and Shreyas Talpade. Despite critical praise for Aaryan’s performance, the film earned only about ₹89 crore worldwide.
Aaryan’s future projects include an untitled musical romantic drama from Anurag Basu, starring Sreeleela, which was slated for a 2025 release but has since been delayed. He also has a Karan Johar‑backed film, Nagzilla, directed by Mrigdeep Singh Lamba, in which he plays a shapeshifting snake named Preyamvadeshwar Pyare Chand. That film is scheduled for release on 12 February 2027.
