Film: Amar Singh Chamkila

Cast: Diljit Dosanjh, Parineeti Chopra

Director: Imtiaz Ali

Rating: 4 Moons

He was the Elvis Presley of Punjab. A controversial name that people refrained from taking. But he was just earning a livelihood with what made the masses happy. Amar Singh Chamkila, a Punjabi singer, broke several records to become the star he was before his assassination. An important part of the Punjabi pop culture, Chamkila was no saint; but was he a devil to be looked down upon? He was just doing his job, certifies Imtiaz Ali in the biographical film, Amar Singh Chamkila. The biopic neither judges nor whitewashed Chamkila's highs and lows. It celebrates his journey from rags to riches. 

Amar Singh Chamkila brings back the magical storyteller in Imtiaz Ali. While reviving the story of the singer who impacted the musical culture in Punjab, the director doesn't miss out on making the characters of his world humane. The film begins with the assassination of Amar Singh Chamkila (Diljit Dosanjh) and his wife, co-singer Amarjot Kaur (Parineeti Chopra). Their bodies are taken home from the morgue and the story unfolds as Chamkila's friends await the right time for the funeral. The cops are put on duty to protect the mortal remains and ensure peace during the crisis in the state. What follows explores the colourful, controversial and significant rise and rise of the singer. 

Born as Amar Singh Sangila, he makes a position for himself in akhadas by singing 'obscene' and 'vulgar' songs revolving around women, sex, infidelity and more. Presenting the reality of society around him, Chamkila draws hatred for his lyrics. But does an artist deserve the amount of hate and scrutiny for serving what's in demand? Is there no land for free speech? Imtiaz Ali answers without taking sides. He allows Chamkila to be his own defender. 

Imtiaz Ali knows how to inject soul into his films without pronouncing it too loud. Amar Singh Chamkila is just another example of his filmmaking prowess. He doesn't take the story on the route of a documentary or whitewashing Chamkila. He plays around to make the audience feel like a part of the era and world the singer belonged to. His protagonist has flaws. His rise from a lower caste labourer to a singer who sold the highest records back in the day hits hard with the style of dialogue. One of Chamkila's friends says, "Ek baat Chamkila ki bohot galat si, apne sunne vaalon ka ghulam tha woh." This reflects that the person never looked up to himself with pride despite plastering a bright smile on many people's faces. 

Amar Singh Chamkila doesn't just stick to Diljit and Parineeti. Imtiaz smartly uses archival footage, flipping back and forth in time, to bridge the cinematic and reality gap. The film never loses its touch from the core and delivers something soulful, heart-piercing at times, and thoroughly engaging. The presentation of Amar Singh Chamkila is very pop culture-ish. Usage of animated graphics to a comic-book style of storytelling, it builds a connection with the characters without questioning their intentions. 

Amar Singh Chamkila projects the singer as an ordinary man, who doesn't have the choice to weigh the pros and cons of singing the kind of songs he does. After all, his listeners are those who help him put food on the plate. Despite the grimness and darkness of the subject, the film has a colourful template. When Chamkila and Amarjot perform on the stage, the screen lights up in vibrant shades of Imtiaz's brave storytelling, Diljit's honesty and Parineeti's surprisingly strong act.

Despite getting almost everything right with Amar Singh Chamkila, Imtiaz's biopic dips in the second half. The pace slackens before it springs back almost quickly with riveting performances by the cast and a dose of caste politics, power play and exploitation of the person who gave it his all to provide livelihood to many. With gentle and effective strokes of politics and societal judgement, Amar Singh Chamkila becomes a beautiful painting of melancholy and struggle. Stained with allegations that have to be wiped by the singer, the character had to live with the tag of 'ganda banda' until he died a sad death when people from different corners of the state flocked to gain two minutes of fame by clicking pictures with the mortal remains. As this happens, Arijit Singh's hauntingly beautiful Vida Karo plays in the background, adding more weight to a heartbreaking sequence. 

Amar Singh Chamkila is supported by AR Rahman's iconic music, comprising songs sung originally by Chamkila and Amarjot. Baaja is a fantastic piece that stays real to the story and builds a connection with the characters. Naram Kaalja validates Chamkila's popularity and is a rebellious foot-tapping number. Ishq Mitaye and Vida Karo spark up the energy and emotions in the right amount. 

Diljit Dosanjh gets into the skin of Amar Singh Chamkila effortlessly. While he sings brilliantly, it is time to take notice of his fabulous acting skills. He makes it believe that the character was tailor-made for him. The actor pulls off a complex character smoothly with his ever-charming presence. The transition from being underconfident to a devil-may-care attitude is phenomenal. Parineeti Chopra is a true revelation. Demure as Amarjot, when she sings, the actress hits the high notes powerfully. She fits her part well and adds her sweetness to the film. 

Amar Singh Chamkila is a celebration of the artiste who lost his life to societal politics, insecurity and powerplay. The regressiveness of the era was to be blamed!