Amar Singh Chamkila - Punjabi / Biography / 146 mins - Netflix
Growing up , only the great Gurdas Maan.. and much later Hans Raj Hans were my intro into Punjabi music . I had no clue about Amar Singh “ Chamkila “ - a cultural phenomenon during the tumultuous times in Punjab .
As I read about him of wiki after watching the movie , i only have mad respect to know that a performer existed so many years back , who would make YoYo Honey Singh and Baadshah , Jassi lyrics sound like middle school poetry ! 😀
This biopic is easily one of the well researched ( not a Wikipedia script ) , wonderfully made movies in India . It does not seek to present any perspectives of the titular character - tells the story of someone who just wanted to give the audience what they asked for - a release , that’s all !
The movie begins with the assassination of Chamkila and his wife ( and Co performer) Amarjot Kaur .. and rolls back his entire story through different perspectives . The fantastic “ Baj Baaja Baaja” gives you the outline - “sexy geet gata woh “ .. , jis wajah se chamka , woh is wajah se tapka … Chamkeela, Sexeela….. Tharkeela , woh ganda banda ) 😁
( Spot the cameo )
Casting Diljit Dosanjh is an absolute master stroke ( one may have succumbed to have casting a better known actor with lesser or zero vocal credentials - to the detriment of the movie ) , so full credit to Imtiaz for the the choice . Given that it is a story of a performer - Diljit absolutely belts the saucy verses that epitomised Chamkila , with ease , lending authenticity. Parineeta Chopra also sings all her lines as well - while it is definitely not the same level , it is atleast worthy of the performance .
Chamkila .. born Dhanni Ram .. could be just any young boy ( and a man later ) learning about life from things that happen around him . He starts writing songs for another singer and happens to fill in for him once .. and the rest is history . Over time he becomes extremely popular making music and performing songs with double entendre and raunchiness , which is loved and celebrated by audiences !
He is chastised for it , gets death threats from extremists, warnings by religious elders, jealous competitors’ malice - yet all Chamkila wants is to entertain. He respects what he has become ( and wouldn’t want to give it up ) , valuing his fame even more , given that he worked in a sock factory in his early life!
This will definitely rank as of one of Imtiaz Alis better works . The story generally moves fast and wonderfully incorporates the strengths of Diljit - his expressive , simple face and his top notch vocal and performing skills .
The Chamkila song sequences are beautifully done , the screen awash with Hindi translations of the song ( I still kept the subtitles on for the Punjabi dialogue ) . Gosh , if the songs don’t make you blush at first and eventually hoot for it— then you are probably not going to enjoy the movie 😃 . Also the scenes jump cut to the real Chamkila and Amarjot performing - it demonstrates the authenticity of the actors , bravo !
Imtiaz Ali has always had wonderful ear for music and the lovely Irshad Kamil and maestro A R Rahman combine for yet another master class on lyric , nativity in music , song arrangements which are almost like the “ sutradhar “ of the movie. After watching the movie you realise how wonderfully each song captures the situation . You know why “Ishq mitaye .. has a main hoon Punjab” in it . The “feminist” sequence of the women ( of all ages) showing they are closet Chamkila fans may be divisive but balsy !
Eventually the movie talks about all the morality of the people who judged him , but eventually were touched by him and became better in life ( wealth or otherwise ) .
The mellifluous elegy “Vida Karo” just about sums up the life of chamkila … “ Tum sabhi Saaf sahi , hoon mat maila main .. tum sabhi paak magar paap ka dariya main … “.. 👏
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