Amar Singh Chamkila is the true story of one of the most famous Punjabi singers of all time, whose songs were silenced but heard by all. One of the most controversial names in the history of Punjabi music was gunned down at the age of 27 due to the vulgarity of his lyrics – even though every celebration back then was incomplete without his lyrics. .

Imtiaz Ali’s Amar Singh Chamkila begins with the legendary singer being shot by unknown assailants along with his co-star and wife Amarjot Kaur (Parineeti Chopra). The rest of the film plays out in flashbacks, beginning with his childhood as the innocent, impressionable boy catches on to the secret sexual habits and misunderstandings of those around him.

Diljit Dosanjh has slipped into the musical shoes of a fully mature Chamkila. He portrays Chamkila as a simple and curious man with a burning desire to sing and a permanent smile. Despite the means of success, he tries to pave his own way. He is aware of the challenges but refuses to let his self-esteem get over him. Although she appears shy and innocent, there are moments when he knows how to manipulate things and turn them in his favor.

However, Parineeti Chopra’s performance is as underwhelming as is humanly possible. In the scenes where she plays a shy and reserved woman, she immediately gives the impression of a lost person with something strange going on in her mind. One of these scenes has an actual clip of Amarjot Kaur performing, further mocking Parineeti’s exceptional acting skills.

His menacing performance is balanced by Anjum Batra, who plays Chamkila’s close friend Tikki, who helps Chamkila in her career and curses her to die once things go wrong. Batra faithfully sticks to the role of a close friend who will do anything for you when you’re not on their wrong side.

Amar Singh Chamkila Review: Sounds like a hot and flavorful slice of real Punjab.

Diljit Dosanjh in a still from Amar Singh Chamkila

Amar Singh Chamkela has somehow managed to capture the true essence of Punjab. Be it the depiction of akkads (small gatherings for stage performances) or the cultural nuances, the film depicts exactly what happens in an agrarian state.

Amar Singh Chamkila is one of the rare picks of mainstream Hindi cinema, who has rightly captured the true essence of Punjabi culture, breaking the stereotypical portrayal of Punjab with forced tones and funny personalities.

The political climate of Punjab is also covered in the film, with characters throwing terms like “comrade” and “radical” around like a couple of Frisbees.

Amar Singh Glowing Review: The film takes up an important theme.

While this is the life story of the controversial singer, it also raises several important questions about Indian society’s culture of silence regarding any sexuality.

It rightly brings out the deep hypocrisy where the mention of gender and sexuality is considered immoral, but the abundance of folk songs sung at weddings and celebrations has a distinctly seductive tone.

However, more research could have been done on this topic. While the theme is brilliant on paper, the execution could have been more effective with a bit more effort.

Overview of Amar Singh Chamkila: A creative slideshow of important events in his life

The film has Hindi translations of Chamkila’s verses flashing on the screen.

The film is a collection of important events in Chamkila’s life stitched together in cinema. From his approach to a local musician to his first stage performance, his marriage and eventual murder, everything unfolds like a series of chapters in a drama.

Before each important event, the year and location come up on the screen in a playful way, with each slide marking a different stage in his life.

Imtiaz also included several real-life clips and photographs, making for an interesting comparison between the source and the reworking. Sometimes, you’ll see the original image followed by a shot of Diljit and Parineeti, and sometimes, the screen splits into two, drawing clear parallels between the two.

Some shots of Diljit and Parineeti have also been edited like old video films, adding to the nostalgia.

It seems that almost all available media related to Chamkila – such as her music record covers and performance clippings – have been incorporated into the film. For example, in one scene, it is shown how Chamkila’s popular album cover would have been shot. Similarly, Chamkila’s actual wedding photos are displayed in connection with the wedding.

Another thing worth mentioning is how the Hindi translations of Chamkila’s verses flash on the screen so that users like me, who don’t understand Punjabi well, can still understand the true meaning of the songs and why they Controversy arose.

Amar Singh Chamkila: The film doesn’t explore much about what goes on inside Chamkila’s head.

The film has oversimplified the persona of a man who had many layers. I’d love to see more of what’s done inside Chamkila’s head.

It would have been interesting to know how an artist like him deals with the unexpected chapters of his fate, or for that matter how he perceives the day-to-day events around him. Currently, it feels like the film only skims the tip of what could be an emotional iceberg. Just when the film starts to tap into that area, the film soon ends.

Although one scene briefly touches on the emptiness that comes with success and how your previous notions of happiness are, it would have been wonderful to see this concept in detail.

It won’t be wrong to say that Imtiaz had a great opportunity to know Chamkila’s psyche but he missed it royally. (Or did he expect too much from rock star and spectacle?)