Top News

Mumbai: Kartik Aaryan marked his first National Award win for ‘Chandu Champion’ by visiting Ujjain’s Mahakaleshwar Temple and seeking Lord Shiva’s blessings.

The actor shared the Best Actor honour with Mammootty, who was recognised for his performance in ‘Bramayugam’.

Kartik took to Instagram on Monday to share pictures from his visit to the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain. He captioned the post as, “Jai Mahakal.”

In one of the pictures, the actor was seen seated alongside his parents and participating in the Shayan Aarti with folded hands.

Following the ritual, Kartik also followed the temple tradition of whispering his wish into Nandi Maharaj’s ear before bowing before Lord Mahakal and offering prayers.

Kartik’s temple visit came days after he was named one of the recipients of the 72nd National Film Awards.

Following the announcement, the actor shared an emotional video capturing his mother’s reaction to the prestigious honour.

Expressing his gratitude, Kartik wrote, “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.”

Written and directed by Kabir Khan, the biographical sports drama ‘Chandu Champion’ features Kartik in the titular role of Murlikant Petkar, India’s first Paralympic gold medallist.

The film also stars Vijay Raaz, Bhuvan Arora, Yashpal Sharma, Rajpal Yadav and Shreyas Talpade, among others.

Despite receiving positive reviews, the film underperformed at the box office, earning around ₹89 crore worldwide.