Amar Singh Chamkila Movie Review- Hindi (2024)

 Movie: Amar Singh Chamkila (2024)

Director: Imitaaz Ali

Production: Window Seat Films

Cast: Dilijith Dosanjh & Parineethi Chopra

Music: A. R. Rahman

Editing: Aarthi Balaji

Cinematography: Sylvester

Language: Hindi- Punjabi

Streaming Platform: Netflix

Release Date: 12/04/2024

Censor: 'U/A' - Abusive Content

4.5/5

Just A Biopic- No Stands / Glorification

01. What is 'Amar Singh Chamkila'.

ASC is based on real-life renowned musician-singer- 'Amar Singh Sandlia' hailing from a very poor village in Punjab set back in 1980's. He was assassinated at the age of 27 by the Sikh militants for singing vulgar, dirty & controversial songs which they felt were a blotch to the entire community/society.  Despite singing such dirty songs- Amar Singh & his wife Amarjyothi were too popular in Punjab back then in 80's thus making them the most listened artists of Punjab & the best artists to give concerts in UAE & Canada back on those days itself. 

The artists' popularity grew so high that no body in Punjab rural wanted to listen to any other song other then sung by Chamkila. Accidentally Chamkila who works in a socks manufacturing unit, gets to meet his idol Jindha Paaji who himself is a big name in masses known for writing double-sided/vulgar lyrics & out of his interest in music since tender age gets him in front of him. His talent in writing spontaneous - catchy lyrics & singing with rustic vocals excited Jindha & he gets a job to support him in writing lyrics. But, one day Chamkila gets a chance to sing on stage instead Jindha Paaji in his absense & crowd is so much excited such that they wanted only Chamkila to sing & not any others. 

To watch why such a singer who sings too dirty & vulgar gained so much popularity & why people loved him & why he was killed should be something that you have to watch for in the film.

02. What attracts in Chamkila.

One who has never heard about Chamkila, watching this film is also in awe with the screenplay & that is the best part of this biopic. Imitaaz known for his love stories has come off road & did something different, another aspect to long for this. People who love or hate Chamkila, both can watch the film as the film doesn't take any stand on the artist's life, it is just a raw & real presentation of happenings in his life & it is we who have to decide whether he's a good or bad guy. There is no unnecessary glorification of the character- it is just presented as such & that amuses. Screenplay is attractive & supported by ample narration at parts, the graphics, VFX, animation, flashbacks, real life footages, photographs etc are very well used to portray the character. There is lot of Punjabi in the film, but never we are in a commotion of not understanding the scene, because such powerful is the taking. ARR is the best ever thing happened to this film.

03. Performances.

Dilijith as Chamkila is just too perfect. Imitaaz has done a great thing by choosing characters that are good at singing as well acting- because we need to portray a character of a musician-singer & also induce controversy with sensitivity & subtilty. Dilijith dubs all the Chamkila songs in his voice & also does that too good. Parineethi is not able to match the stunning Dilijith but she wasn't bad. Tikki Paaji & others do the needful. 

04. Coming to the crucial part- Dirty lyrics.

Chamkila is a singer known for vulgar /dirty lyrics & objectifying women in such a bad way that ill-desires are born in listeners. My first question is- when someone is singing such songs- then don't we realize that there are listeners who are desiring such bold songs? Only when there is fire we have smoke- similarly only when we have listeners such dirty songs are born. Keeping that aside, it is clear & evident that Chamkila is an innocent person who sang such songs only to make his living & didn't desire to spoil the society. See, we always have this problem in our society- like prostitution- may be legal or ill-legal- but men who reach to them aren't questioned but prostitutes who sell their bodies for living are questioned, but the reality is we have prostitutes only because there are men who desire to go there- PERIOD. 

Best part of the film is, Imitaaz didn't try taking a stand on Chamkila- he just portrayed the happenings in his life. Imitaaz never wanted to show Chamkila as a legend, he left it to us to decide who he is & what he is. If am given a chance to tell who he is- I can term him innocent but not a worthy man because falling to low to make a living isn't a Nobel quality- living can be made any how- but living like this is no life at all! There are certain questions- how can someone fall so low to earn a living? What does one get by spoiling society? Does the art form has any respect if this is right? If it is right, why should one have good principles to lead a good life? Though we aren't getting any answers to these all- we are just left with a story of 2.5hrs & we don't regret at all, despite not getting questions answered at all. 

05. Technicalities.

No questions for editing or cinematography, as the film is a biopic & more or less a documentary. Music by ARR is a boon. Someone coming from Madras & doing this to a Punjabi film is like something like unbelievable. He's the backbone- in a film of musician / singer- what more does a music director have other then to rehash their old compositions, but can you all believe we have 6 new songs excluding the  Chamkila songs. I don't have any words to applaud this legend. He's the demigod of music & the best ever thing happened to this film. 

06. At last.

It is a film that holds different opinions, so I'll also leave it to you to decide how you like the film.