Amar Singh Chamkila — the ‘Elvis of Punjab’
Imtiaz Ali’s new film is based on the story of the Punjabi singer-songwriter Chamkila, who made waves with his controversial music in the 1980s.
Netflix has released a new biopic based on the renowned Punjabi singer Amar Singh Chamkila, also called by some as the ‘Elvis of Punjab’ starring Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra in the leading roles. The film marks the return of India’s beloved director, Imtiaz Ali, after four long years. Post its release, the film has gathered appreciation from audiences and critics alike, with many praises for Imtiaz Ali’s ‘comeback’ and the actors’ strong performances. But who is Amar Singh Chamkila?
Born in 1960 as Dhani Ram to a Dalit Sikh family in Punjab, he was working in a cloth factory before he rose to fame in the music industry. At 18 years old, Chamkila started touring with various Punjabi artists as part of their entourage and eventually decided to pursue a solo career, adopting the stage name Chamkila. He wrote his own songs, based on the experiences he had, living in a small village near Ludhiana, Punjab. He was known for the lyrics of his songs, which made commentaries on extramarital affairs, sex, alcohol, and drug use. Due to the controversial theme of his songs, many people disliked him, but Chamkila only got more popular by the year. Many Punjabi artists, even today, talk about his influence on the music industry in Punjab, and he was the highest-selling artist of his time. The biography ‘Awaaz Mardi Nahi’ (the voice does not die) by Gulzar Singh Shaunki mentions that at the height of his popularity, Chamkila performed 366 shows in 365 days. Chamkila, coming from a poor family, became extremely loved in the villages of not only Punjab but around the country.
Chamkila also went on to perform his songs abroad in Canada, along with his wife and stage partner Amarjot Kaur. Chamkila and Amarjot met when he was looking for a female vocalist who could match his scale, as his voice was very high. The pair performed successfully across Punjab and abroad and were very loved by the public. On March 8 1988, the pair arrived in Mehsampur, Punjab for a performance, where they were both shot as soon as they got out of their car, by a group of armed motorcyclists. Other group members who travelled with them were also killed. Despite the popularity of the case, to this day no arrests have been made and the mystery of the killing of Chamkila and Amarjot remains unsolved.
Director Imtiaz Ali has talked about his interest in the story of Chamkila and Amarjot, and how he has wanted to make a film about them for years. In an interview with Netflix, Diljit Dosanjh, the actor-singer who plays the role of Amar Singh Chamkila in the film, said: “Before I met him (Imtiaz Ali), I thought I knew Chamkila and his story very well, but he knows everything about Chamkila, his walk, mannerisms, his expressions”. Diljit Dosanjh made history in 2023 as the first Indian artist to perform at Coachella and is only getting bigger and better. The soundtrack of the film is composed by Academy Award winner A R Rahman, and all of Chamkila and Amarjot’s songs are performed live by Parineeti Chopra and Diljit Dosanjh.
Amar Singh Chamkila is now streaming on Netflix.
