Champion Ending Explained And Movie Recap: Was Michael Able To Fulfill His Dream?

Any mention of a sports drama set against the backdrop of the Indian Independence era reminds me of “Egaro,” a movie adaptation of the iconic victory of the Mohun Bagan football club against the British East Yorkshire team in 1911 in the IFA Shield final, which was a definitive watershed moment in the history of the Indian colonial struggle. Upon learning the premise of Pradeep Advaitham’s Telugu historical sports movie, “Champion,” which follows the journey of an Indian football player amidst the tumultuous socio-political climate of Hyderabad in the post-independence era, one might mistakenly assume that the movie follows a similar template, assimilating sports with political turbulence to create a deft narrative. However, even though the overly long, unnecessarily stretched narrative sheds light on a crisis that hardly received any attention from mainstream media, it has nothing to do with sports at all. “Champion” still has a decent storyline, which could have fared better had it not been used in the layout of a masala entertainer.

Spoilers Ahead

Prologue: Nizam’s Reign of Terror in Hyderabad

India gained independence from the two-century-long oppressive British colonial regime on 15th August, 1947, but the unification of most of the princely states didn’t happen until several years later. In South India, the landlocked province of Hyderabad, ruled by the Nizams for more than two centuries, was one such region. Intoxicated by the power they assumed even during British rule by positioning themselves as faithful servants of the crown, the Nizams refused to merge their state with the rest of the country. Emboldened by the might of their private militia, the Razakar army, who implemented their own version of a reign of terror through murder, rape, and plunder, the Nizams wanted to keep Hyderabad an independent, separate country, much like the neighboring country of Pakistan. Speaking of Pakistan, they also used a Razakar militia of their own to violently suppress the Bangladeshi freedom movement, but that’s a story for another day. 

“Champion” begins with a prologue that highlights the horrid condition of the state of Hyderabad under Nizam rule, and even though the Nizam regime, represented by the tyrannical Razakar militia founder Qasim Razvi, wanted to use the excuse of Muslim unity to make a case for a separate nation in the UN, the majority of the oppressed populace wanted Hyderabad to be unified with the rest of the country. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the then Home Minister of the country, sympathizes with the plight of the citizens of Hyderabad and, summoning Razvi to Delhi, warns about forceful imposition by the Indian government if the Nizams continue to refuse the proposition of a merger. Sardar Patel requests the then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, to send the Indian army to force the Nizams to concede, but concerned about optics on the international stage, Nehru asks him to bide his time and wait for the right opportunity instead. 

While Razakars razed rural areas of Hyderabad to the ground, the small village of Bhairanpally, led by a braveheart chief, Raji Reddy, and inspired by the ideals of communist intellectual Sundarayya, continued to lead a resistance against the tyrannical forces. To make an example out of the revolutionaries, Razvi’s right-hand man, Hashim, accompanied by his Razakar army and Patwari (Nizam government official), abducts Bikshapathy, a member of the resistance, in broad daylight, and massacres his entire family. In retaliation, Raaji Reddy takes a troop of revolutionaries to rescue Bikshapathy by infiltrating the local Deshmukh’s mansion. The revolutionaries are unable to find Bikshapathy and end up plundering the mansion to send a message to the Nizam regime that Bhairanpally can not be intimidated by Razakar brutality. 

How Does Michael Get Connected With the Bhairanpally Revolt?

The narrative shifts to focus on Michael Williams, a promising football player from the city of Secunderabad, Hyderabad, who dreams of joining Manchester United one day, and getting honored by Queen Victoria herself. An orphan, Michael lost his father, George Williams, a former member of the British army, at a young age. During the Second World War, George defected from the British army and became a part of the Indian revolutionary struggle by joining the Azad Hind Fauj under Subhas Chandra Bose’s leadership. Michael grew up in the care of his uncle, Joseph, and losing his father at an early age led him to realize the futility of warfare and armed conflict, even when in support of a righteous cause.  

Showing a remarkable display of skills in the Nizam Cups final in the presence of Mr. Roy, manager of Manchester United, Michael gets one step closer to reaching his dream, as the manager selects him as a player of his prestigious club. However, upon learning the identity of Michael’s father, Roy reveals that security at London airport will detain him, due to the fact that George is considered a traitor in the British Army. For what it’s worth, Roy mentions that if Michael somehow manages to reach London, he will ensure that his dream of being a part of the Red Devils is fulfilled. 

Joseph, who secretly aided a shady gunrunning gang, convinces the gang leader, James, to give Michael a safe passage to London. James agrees to let Michael board their plane on one condition: he has to deliver a truckload of gun shipments to Bidar by disguising himself as a Razakar. Despite the risks involved, Michael and his close friend, Shabbir, agree to deliver the shipment. However, while taking the shipment to Bidar, Michael ends up facing Babu Deshmukh, the crooked captain of the Secunderabad police team whom Michael humiliated in the finals. Michael somehow manages to evade Babu after a heated confrontation, which results in Babu sustaining severe burn injuries on his face. 

While fleeing, Michael and Shabbir end up facing Bhairanpally Patwari and his men, who bring him to the Deshmukh mansion. In his Razakar disguise, Michael pretends to be there on official duty. Michael calls Joseph, who reveals that their confrontation with the police has heated up the situation, and they’ll have to lay low after delivering the shipment and wait until the day of departure. It turns out, Patwari has already figured out that Michael and Shabbir are not cops, and to prove his suspicion, he asks Michael to shoot a captive Bikshapathy. Michael and Shabbir manage to fight their way out, rescue Bikshapathy, and take him back to his village, Bhairanpally. Initially, the revolutionaries suspect Michael to be a Nizam agent, until Bikshapathy reveals everything and clears the confusion. Nevertheless, Michael doesn’t want to involve himself in the impending fight between the villagers and Razakars; he decides to not reveal his true identity during his stay and lies about being a chef. The truck, where the secret stash of guns is hidden, is damaged, and for the time being, Michael has to wait until it gets repaired. 

Why Does Michael Join the Bhairanpally Revolt?

During his stay, Michael gets acquainted with local playwright Chandrakala, and the duo hit it off pretty soon. Chandrakala harbors a strong disdain towards the Britishers and Nizams; as belonging to the rural lower class strata, she has witnessed the worst instances of oppression at the hands of the powerful lot. Michael’s more tolerant, somewhat ignorant perspective about the conflict stems from the security he has been able to enjoy as a city boy, hailing from a somewhat decent financial background. His seeming indifference to the plight of the villagers is also rooted in his own realization of the senselessness of armed conflict and the privilege of not being affected by the tyranny of the oppressors. However, staying with the villagers and learning of their struggle, especially that of an orphan kid named Raju, Michael finds himself gradually drawn to them. Still, at the end of the day, Michael prioritizes his dream over anything else, and as the truck is finally repaired, he and Shabbir prepare to leave.

Things take a bad turn when Michael’s ruse gets discovered by the villagers after his true identity is revealed when the picture of his club, Secunderabad Blues, winning the Nizam Cup is published in the newspaper. The situation further escalates when Razakar uniforms are found in the truck, and it almost seems Michael and Shabbir are going to get executed by an angry mob. However, right at the same moment, Hashim leads a troop of Razakars to attack the villagers, and Michael protects them by using the guns he was about to deliver to James’ client. In the aftermath, Michael comes clean about everything to village chief Raaji Reddy. Balraju, one of the revolutionaries who suspected Michael since the beginning, asks him to prove his true intention by leaving the weapons with the villagers. However, as Michael explains his situation, Reddy takes an understanding approach and allows him to leave whenever he pleases. In the meantime, Razvi becomes furious about the Bhairanpally revolt and brings Babu Deshmukh, who turns out to be the son of the village Deshmukh, to accompany Hashim to quell the unrest by force. Sundaryya advises Reddy to take the villagers and leave, as the Razakar retaliation is going to be fierce, but the headstrong village chief, inspired by the noble ideals of sacrifice, prepares to make a last stand while sending away the villagers who won’t be able to help in the upcoming conflict. Michael opens up to Chandrakala, who feels betrayed, given Michael was going to leave the village anyway. Michael continues to get further attached to the villagers, and now he is also able to sympathize with them. Patwari arrives at the village with a proposition from the Nizam that an unconditional surrender by the villagers of Bhairanpally will convince the rulers to take mercy on them for their past transgression. Needless to say, inspired by Reddy’s words, the villagers spit on the proposal and beat up Patwari before he is able to escape. An enraged Babu Deshmukh kills Patwari for showing weakness on the Nizam’s behalf and vows to make the revolutionaries pay with their blood. 

However, seeing that Raju, the orphan, is being prepared as a child soldier by the revolutionaries, Michael fumes in anger—as he believes that kids of his age should not be exposed to the horrors of the world and lose their innocence in the process. Reddy regrettably conveys to him that horror is the reality they have to confront on a daily basis, and the sole motivation of their struggle is to keep future generations from ever facing that. Michael also questions Reddy as to why he is prepared to sacrifice so many lives when he still has a chance to surrender and prevent the inevitable loss of lives. Reddy describes the brutality, torment, and humiliation generations of villagers have endured in the past; surrendering to Nizams was never an option for them. Freedom or death—these are the two options left for Reddy and his followers, with no middle ground. Michael still questions the meaning of freedom when the cost is so heavy that no one might survive to enjoy it. Michael decides to take Raju and send him with the group who are leaving the village. Later, Michael opens up about his father while speaking with Chandrakala, who comforts him and finally understands his perspective. 

The next day, Michael leaves the village with a heavy heart, and Shabbir chooses to stay with the villagers. Razakars arrive in large numbers, and a sadistic Babu Deshmukh is able to track Michael by getting his hands on the football Michael had given to Raju before parting ways. Holding the escaping villagers captive, Babu forces Michael to take part in a cruel game of football where he has to score to save the lives of the villagers. Michael is able to set the Razakar camp on fire, creating a chaotic situation that allows him a chance to escape with an injured Raju. 

Was Michael Able to Fulfill His Dream?

Taking Raju along with him, Michael rushes back to Bhairanpally and warns one of the villagers about the impending Razakar attack, who shares the message with the rest of the revolutionaries. The war begins, and even though the villagers are able to hold their ground, the destruction of the solitary bastion of the village weakens the morale of the revolutionaries. Unarmed villagers are rounded up, whereas most of the revolutionaries perish in a vicious Razakar attack, and all hope seems to be lost. 

A grievously injured, unconscious Michael sees a vision of his father, George Williams, portrayed by Dulquer Salman in a cameo role, who reveals that the misery of the world is compounded by the inaction of the people, not merely by the cruelty of the oppressors. George believed in the innate goodness of his son, that if the situation arose, Michael would make him proud by doing the right thing. As of this moment, Michael’s own dream of building a prestigious football career pales in front of the prospect of sacrificing his life to save the villagers. Inspired by the vision, Michael joins the battle and valiantly takes down hordes of Razakars, which includes Hashim and Babu Deshmukh. The sacrifice of the revolutionaries has proven enough to force the remainder of the Razakars to retreat, but the victory has exacted a heavy toll, given the majority of the villagers have met a tragic fate. 

In his final moments, Michael sees a plane flying through the skies, which reminds him of his broken dream. But there is no regret or sadness in his eyes; instead, he is proud to have honored his father’s legacy. The Bhairanpally revolt motivates Vallabhai Patel to take stringent action against the Nizam and his Razakar forces and send the Indian army to Hyderabad to initiate the annexation procedure through Operation Polo. Within two days, the Razakars are defeated, and Razvi is taken back to Delhi, this time as a handcuffed war criminal. In reality, the Bhairanpally massacre is a much understated silent genocide that prompted the Indian government to destroy the Hyderabad Nizams once and for all. Michael’s bravery is immortalized in Chandrakala’s plays, and there couldn’t have been a better gesture to honor one’s lover. 

...