Actor Kartik Aaryan is back on the sets of his upcoming film 'Captain India' in London, and the occasion quickly turned into a double celebration — with his team marking his National Award for Best Actor at the 72nd National Film Awards, won for his performance in 'Chandu Champion'. The reunion on set was captured in a video shared by production house Baweja Studios on their official social media handle.

On-Set Celebration

In the clip, Kartik was seen cutting a cake surrounded by the 'Captain India' crew, visibly moved by the outpouring of warmth. Baweja Studios accompanied the post with the caption: 'Welcome back Captain @kartikaaryan. Team #CaptainIndia is super proud to have you back on sets and we can't stop celebrating!! From having a National Award winning director to now a National Award winning actor on boar.' The caption also pointedly noted the rare distinction of having two National Award winners — director and lead actor — on the same production.

The Award and What It Means

Kartik received the Best Actor honour at the 72nd National Film Awards for his portrayal of Murlikant Petkar, India's first Paralympic Gold Champion, in the biopic 'Chandu Champion', directed by Kabir Khan and produced by Sajid Nadiadwala. The President of India, Droupadi Murmu, conferred the award at the official ceremony. Kartik had previously shared a video from the ceremony on his personal handle, where he was seen receiving the honour from the President.

Kartik's Reflection on the Journey

Commemorating the milestone, Kartik posted a heartfelt note reflecting on his roots, writing: 'Looking back affectionately with a smile at that mumma's boy from Gwalior who dared to dream of becoming an actor from an environment, where people laugh at such dreams, and move forwards. 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, Champiyon hai Main. 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.'

Gratitude to the President

In a separate post, Kartik expressed his gratitude to President Droupadi Murmu, writing: 'Thank you to the Honourable President Draupadi Murmu Ji for your kind and encouraging words @presidentofindia. Emotional and proud moment for me and the entire Chandu Champion team.' The post also included a moment from the ceremony in which the President spoke about Murlikant Petkar and his historic sporting legacy. The recognition has drawn widespread attention to Petkar's story, which had remained relatively obscure before the film's release.

What's Next for Kartik

With the London schedule of 'Captain India' now resumed, the film is shaping up as one of the more anticipated Hindi releases on the horizon. The production now carries the combined prestige of a National Award-winning director and a freshly decorated lead actor — a combination that is rare in contemporary Bollywood.