Chamkila on OTT: The film Amar Singh Chamkila, which Imtiaz Ali directs, chronicles the titular singer’s rise from destitution to fame in the 1980s. On March 8, 1988, just prior to their scheduled performance in Mehsampur, Punjab, Chamkila and his spouse Amarjot met an untimely demise at the hands of assassins.
Chamkila, an original Netflix film premiering in New Delhi and featuring Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra, will retell the overlooked life of Amar Singh Chamkila, the first rock sensation from Punjab. Following his recovery from destitution in the 1980s, he rose to prominence, only to be murdered minutes before a performance in Mehsampur, Punjab.
Amar Singh passes away at 64 in Singapore
Singh, Amar Chamkila
This past May, the film’s producers unveiled the film alongside its initial teaser trailer. The film is characterized as “the untold true story of Punjab’s original mass-appealing rockstar,” according to its synopsis.
The Chamkila novel by Imtiaz Ali
The director of the film Amar Singh Chamkila is Imtiaz Ali, and he and musician and composer AR Rahman, who will be responsible for the score, collaborated on the production. Prior collaboration between the two as director and composer resulted in the critical and commercial triumphs of Rockstar (2011) and Highway (2014), among others.
The Diljit Dosanjh film Chamkila
Diljit Dosanjh, whose previous credits include Good Newswz, Udta Punjab, and Phillauri (Netflix), states that portraying Amar Singh Chamkila was one of the most challenging experiences of his career.
Priya Chopra in the role of Amarjot Chamkila
Parineeti, who portrays Amarjot, Chamkila’s wife and vocal companion, thanked Ali for the opportunity.
Born into destitution in 1960, Amar Singh Chamkila rose to prominence as one of the most renowned musicians to originate from the northern Indian state of Punjab.
His sincere portrayals of rural existence in his lyrics—he often addressed illicit affairs, youth despondency, and substance abuse—appeased his followers but infuriated more traditionalist factions. He was assassinated and mowed down in 1988, at the height of his fame, at the age of 27. The unsolved murders of his wife and two members of his band have also contributed to the tragedy.
The Chamkila series on Netflix
Sajid Ali and Imtiaz Ali collaborated on the screenplay for Amar Singh Chamkila. Among others, Mohit Choudhary, Select Media Holdings, Saregama, and Reliance Entertainment are responsible for producing the movie. It is scheduled for global release on Netflix in 2024.
