Amar Singh Chamkila, the legendary singer and songwriter, was an artist who changed the face of music in Panjab. Imtiaz Ali’s latest movie Chamkila is a biopic that showcases his journey from being a nobody to becoming a star. Chamkila and his second wife Amarjot became one of the biggest singing duos in the 1980s and were constantly selling out shows. So, what led to the end of this legendary story?

From making socks to singing hit songs

Amar Singh Chamkila (Diljit Dosanjh), born as Dhanni Ram in a Dalit Sikh family, worked in a socks manufacturing factory. But his dreams were bigger than the factory and his passion for music kept making him feel dissatisfied in his current job. So, he used all his jugaad to find a connection in the field of music and it wasn’t long before he started finding gigs. He was writing his own songs but was sitting in the background with someone else singing and taking credit for his hard work. Until the day he got a chance to change the narrative. Once Chamkila took the stage, there was no going back.

Chamkila was popular for his explicit songs that the audience enjoyed and loved. And Diljit’s portrayal of the legendary singer is charismatic and gripping. When you watch Chamkila’s journey on screen, brought to life by Diljit, you understand how he did what he did to change his circumstances. You might feel empathetic towards him, you might feel he deserved what he got, but at no point will you feel he didn’t work hard to become ‘The Chamkila’.

The unsolved assassination of Chamkila and Amarjot

Once Chamkila tasted success and fame, there was no going back. After singing with multiple leading ladies, he finally found his calling with his second wife Amarjot (Parineeti Chopra). The couple was an absolute hit and were selling shows one after another. But they were unaware that they were building an army of haters along the way. From politicians to other artists, and gangsters, Chamkila became a target due to his explicit lyrics that were sexual, talked about class differences, and much more. Imtiaz Ali’s story brings forward the brutal murder of the young couple on March 8, 1988, while entering a concert. Chamkila was merely 27 years old at the time.

Imtiaz Ali does not try to solve the murder case or accuse anyone of the crime. He simply brings his craft forward, his journey, and how Chamkila changed the face of music. Chamkila is a biopic but it is full of life, music, and stories that haven’t been told yet.

The cast and crew of Chamkila do a fine job of weaving the tale together and Mohit Chauhan’s music, along with AR Rahman’s compositions, add a melodic touch to Chamkila’s story. The cast includes Parineeti Chopra, Anjum Batra, Apinderdeep Singh, Nisha Bano, Rahul Mittra, Anurag Arora, and Samuel John who’ve given impactful performances.

Chamkila is now streaming on Netflix.

Can you watch it with your family?: Apart from some explicit lyrics and some foul language here and there, Chamkila can be watched with family.

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