‘Amar Singh Chamkila’ shows socio-cultural, economic state of Punjab

• Release Date: 12/04/2024
• Platform: Netflix
• Cast: Diljit Dosanjh, Parineeti Chopra, Apinderdeep Singh, Anjum Batra, Anurag Arora
• Director: Imtiaz Ali

Imtiaz Ali Skillfully Dissects the Music, Myth, And Questionable Mortality of One of The Most Popular Punjabi Legends

I never heard of Amar Singh Chamkila until the teaser for the Imtiaz Ali film dropped on Netflix. It was then that I googled him and realized that he had one of the most exciting lives that ever unfolded in India. He had an inspiring rags-to-riches story. He was a singer hailed by an entire generation. He was also a singer who sang mostly raunchy numbers, which were, in certain cases, extremely objectifying and derogatory towards women. Nevertheless, he had an almost equal number of female admirers as he had male admirers. He was someone who was looked down upon by the then-protectors of Punjabi society, who ordered him to stop creating such obnoxious songs. His contemporaries, who were equally responsible for similar crimes, meanwhile, got an easy way out as they never sold enough records or did enough shows to come under the radar of these people. As the threat increased and the challenges turned into mortal dangers, Chamkila resorted to singing devotional numbers, but his audience wanted him to sing what he was famous for singing. He was forced to adhere, and this proved to be the fatal mistake that ultimately resulted in his and his wife, Amarjyot’s, brutal killing. 

Whether Chamkila was killed by terrorists, his compatriots who were unable to make a decent living as long as he was around, or the family members of his first wife whom he left to marry Amarjyot remains a mystery. But what is certain is that his and Amarjyot’s murders were definitely connected to their status, earnings, and the kind of music that they were creating.

While Imtiaz Ali’s film touches upon the key points in Chamkila’s life, including his two marriages, the film does something more in terms of its story and characterization by attempting to take an emotional and varied look at Chamkila’s life through different angles and tries to come up with a picture of whether or not he was right in doing what he was doing and whether the people who murdered him had the right to do so. In the end, what we get is more of an emotionally charged picture that is more inclined towards the metamorphosis and emotional journey of Chamkila and Amarjyot than the who, why, and how of his much-publicized and talked-about end.

Creative Presentation of The Integral Role of Music in Chamkila’s Life and Keeping It Intriguing Throughout:

Amar Singh Chamkila was essentially a musician. Hence, a biopic about him had to revolve around songs and music. That would mean that there may be people like me who do not enjoy songs in films as much as others, feeling put off. So, Imtiaz Ali had to find a way to keep his performances and his songs engaging. He does this by making the songs a means of propagation for other events around it. It is not just the story that unfolds while the songs are playing and moving from point A to B. Sometimes, there is a cultural change that is coming about as the songs unfold. Sometimes we see a romance blossom.

There are songs through which we see Chamkila and his partner Amarjyot gradually rise up the pedestal in Punjabi music folklore. There are also the unique ways in which the songs are presented that make for engaging viewing. One must also remember that most of Chamkila’s songs were raunchy in nature, and this is presented by writing the lyrics of the songs out by the side of the characters in bright yellow and carefully subtitling them below to underline the nature of the songs and what is being said.

This also adds to the shock value, making the songs engaging and more than just melodies. Every Chamkila performance is captured differently, and they each stand for different things and represent a different period in Chamkila’s life, making them feel unique and intriguing. Hence the songs of the maestro not only form the basis of the entire story but are also the focal point of interest and intrigue in the story.  

Diljit Dosanjh Delivers a Knockout Performance as Chamkila:

Diljit Dosanjh, in an interview with Anupama Chopra recently, informed that he was not an actor and that when he is essaying his lines, he doesn’t feel anything. This is something that is hard to accept when watching him perform as Chamkila. He turned in one of the finest performances that I have seen him achieve. He delivers every emotion and every conflict of the character with subtlety, humility, and charm. His expressions are so in sync with the character and his situation that one cannot think of the character behaving any differently than how he depicts him behaving. Dosanjh also had the added challenge of having to share the screen with real-life pictures of Chamkila that are shown from time to time in a creative editing choice. Interestingly, by that time, he had captured the imagination of the audience and made the character so lifelike and real that at least I didn’t bother about how the real Chamkila might have differed from Dosanjh’s interpretation of the man. 

Imtiaz Ali is successful in recreating Chamkila’s performances to the minutest details of how he moved and how Amarjyot complimented him. He went to the extent of replicating the choreography, the mannerisms of the man, and even how he held and used his musical instrument. This went a long way into enhancing the feel and realism of Dosanjh’s performance. Later when we see his performance side by side with that of the real Chamkila, we understand why it all felt so authentic. This adds to his performance, and then when he does something spontaneously, it becomes easier to accept him for what it is, never questioning the authenticity or realism of it.

The Ensemble Cast Is Equally Great and Add to The Magic of The Film:

Parineeti Chopra and the entire ensemble cast comprising of Apinderdeep Singh, Anjum Batra, Anurag Arora and many more turn incredibly realistic and heartfelt performances. Not a single actor falters in the slightest and ensures that even the most minuscule of characters adds something to the narrative and is memorable. To see Parineeti Chopra, play a character so out of her normal character choices was interesting. She performed exceedingly well in her scenes with Chamkila as she was able to bring out not only the romance but also the conflicts, tragedy and later the fear that plagued their relationship and their performances together.

Successfully Addressing the Socio-Cultural and Economic State of Punjab Through the Life and Times of Chamkila:

Through “Amar Singh Chamkila,” Imtiaz Ali also touches upon a plethora of different issues plaguing Punjabi society, like caste divide, economic disparity, terrorism, religious fanaticism, and jealousy among performers that can lead them to kill each other. While the cause of death and the perpetrators of Chamkila were never ascertained, it was definitely related to one of the causes above, and the film is able to draw a picture through which one can draw parallels to the brutal attack on the man. This was all achieved through storytelling. One also asks why Chamkila had to sing and create only raunchy numbers and why couldn’t he create songs that were better fitted for society and the youth. The answer to the question is in the film itself, and it will vary from person to person. This is another wonderful thing about the film. It shows you the facts and then lets you take sides without ever dictating which way your view should lean.

Final Words:

“Amar Singh Chamkila” is a heartwarming and heartbreaking take on the life and times of one of the most controversial and popular singers in the country. It is a pity that I never heard about him before, and now that I have, I cannot help but keep googling him for his music and the life that he lived. Chamkila can also be credited for being the inspiration behind an army of Punjabi singers and performers including Diljit Dosanjh, the man who plays him in the film. The film is one laced with great performances, wonderful storytelling, direction by Imtiaz Ali, and soulful music that was at the core of Chamkila’s enormous popularity. Apart from being a tad bit longer than what was needed, I couldn’t find any other flaw in the narrative or any other aspect of the film. This is how one should make biopics, and the creativity that Imtiaz Ali shows with his style and flair in telling the story made this film even more interesting and intriguing for me. This is definitely worth your time if you are interested in a film about a singer whose music and popularity ultimately led to his death.

Rating: 3.5/5 (3.5 out of 5 Stars)

The views expressed in this article are that of the reviewer and do not reflect EastMojo’s position.

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