Imtiaz Ali revealed he didn't know about Amar Singh Chamkila and shared why he decided to make a film on the late Punjabi singer. Imtiaz also explained why Amar Singh Chamkila's life is similar to Punjab's history, "There is a mixture of violence and grace."
Director Imtiaz Ali, who is geared up for the release of his upcoming film, Amar Singh Chamkila, shared his thoughts about showcasing the life of Punjabi folk singer Amar Singh Chamkila in his directorial. Imtiaz's musical drama celebrates the lives of Chamkila (played by Diljit Dosanjh), and his wife Amarjot (played by Parineeti Chopra), a talented singer duo, who were killed along with two members of their band.
Imtiaz recently addressed a session at FICCI Frames 2024 and later joined DNA India for an exclusive conversation. When asked what intrigued him to make a film on the life of Amar Singh Chamkila, Imtiaz said, "Every time I went to Punjab to shoot and work there, I used to hear about Amar Singh Chamkila. Every odd person I met used to tell me, 'Aapne Chamkile ka music suna hai ya nahi?' At that time, I didn't know who Chamkila was. So, I started to gather information about him. I heard his songs but was unable to understand them. Then my Punjabi friends helped me understand his music."
The director further added, "When I learned about his work, I got fascinated. Chamkila had some bold lyrics in his songs, but he sang with such finesse that it became immensely popular. No wonder he's still regarded as the record-selling artist in Punjab."
Another reason why Imtiaz decided to make this film is the similarities he found in Chamkila's journey with the highs and lows of Punjab. Imtiaz said, "I discovered him every time I went to Punjab, and then I was discussing the highs and lows of Punjab. There is a mixture of violence and grace in Punjab. We have so many Sufi saints from there. Similarly, in Chamkila's life, there is a mixture of highs and lows- A short (life), with a tragic end, coming from the lowest strata of society, but he achieved the highest height also." Imtiaz concluded, "I felt that the life of Punjab would be represented by the life of Chamkila, so that's why I decided to make this movie."
Imtiaz's Amar Singh Chamkila has music by AR Rahman, with lyrics by Irshad Kamil. The upcoming movie will premiere on Netflix on April 12.
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 "Imtiaz Ali, a still from Amar Singh Chamkila")
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