When Kartik Aaryan lost 18 kgs for ‘Chandu Champion’

Kartik Aaryan turns a year older today and what a stunning run up he’s had in the past some time his last two releases Bhool Bhuliyaa 3 and Chandu Champion were well received not only by the critics but also fans. He is now gearing up for his next release on Christmas which is Karan Johar’s Tu Meri Main Tera, Main Tera Tu Meri” with Ananya Panday and he’s already begun shooting for Naagzilla and he also an untitled romantic film with Anurag Basu co-starring Sreeleela. He recently won the Best Actor award for Chandu Champion- a role that changed his outlook towards fitness as he had to lose 18 kgs for the role to portray India’s first para-athlete, Murlikant Petkar.

The transformation began when Kartik wrapped up his film Freddy, for which he had intentionally put on weight, reaching nearly 90 kilos with a body fat percentage of around 39 percent. For Chandu Champion, however, he needed the body of a professional boxer-lean, explosive, and sculpted. To achieve this, the film’s makers brought onboard Tridev Pandey, a national-level boxer and fitness expert who trained Kartik from scratch.




In an exclusive interaction with ETimes, Tridev revealed that Kartik’s journey was as intense as it was inspiring. “We started with the absolute basics. He plays a boxer who fights several trained athletes, so speed, strength, and agility were essential,” he explained. Kartik’s training regimen was modeled entirely around that of a real boxer preparing for championship bouts.

What followed was months of discipline, sweat, and unwavering dedication. Under Tridev’s guidance, Kartik gradually brought his weight down from 90 to 72 kilos, achieving the transformation naturally without performance-enhancing substances. From struggling to complete even a single push-up, Kartik reached a point where he could perform them with 50–60 kilos of added weight on his back. His skipping skills evolved too—from barely managing basic footwork to executing 14–15 advanced styles flawlessly.

Perhaps the most telling sign of his commitment came during his birthday celebrations of 2023. Knowing he was on a strict diet, friends brought him specially prepared healthy cakes, yet Kartik didn’t touch even a slice. Tridev recalled, “I had to personally urge him to eat a little, but he still refused. That level of discipline is rare. In my 17 years of training, I’ve never seen anyone like him.”

Kartik’s hard work ultimately paid off not only did he look the part, but he delivered a performance that earned him widespread acclaim and a Best Actor Award. As he turns a year older today, fans celebrate not just the star, but the extraordinary dedication behind one of his most remarkable roles yet.

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