Imtiaz Ali Says Amar Singh Chamkila 'Paid The Price' For His Controversial Music With His Life

Imtiaz Ali is all set to premiere his first documentary directorial - Chamkila, on April 12 on Netflix. The filmmaker has helmed a biographical drama on the life of popular Punjabi singer Amar Singh Chamkila. Diljit Dosanjh will feature in the titular role in the film while Parineeti Chopra plays a pivotal role in the project. In an interview before the film’s release, the director details how Chamkila paid the price for his controversial music. 

Imtiaz Ali says he listened to Amar Singh Chamkila’s house song to understand his psyche 

In an interview with PTI, Imitaz Ali said he was fascinated by Chamkila's approach to music, which he treated as a "friend, an escape route from reality and as something that empowered him". He added, "For me, this film is like a relationship between Chamkila and music. The other thing is how non-intellectual his approach was as far as his own life was concerned. He gave no argument or justification for his music. Also, he paid the price with his life."    

Ali said he started listening to Chamkila's songs before making the film to understand the psyche of the musician, who courted controversies with the lyrics of his songs. The filmmaker asserted, "There is an art in expressing something which is slightly bold without saying a bad word, but the so-called objectionable part of his lyrics were always suggestive. That's like how it has been in old Punjabi folk as well, especially the songs that women sing in Punjab have that boldness or that suggestiveness, and that's a part of our culture." Some of Chamkila's popular songs include Takue Te Takua, Pehle Lalkare Naal, Jatt Di Dushmani, and devotional tracks like Baba Tera Nankana and Talwar Main Kalgidhar Di.

For the uninitiated, Amar Singh Chamkila was known for making songs with underlined sexual innuendos, extramarital affairs, drug abuse and alcohol use. A part of the society even deemed the music to be ‘vulgar’.  Despite the flak, Chamkila gained popular footing not just in Punjab but in the Punjabi-speaking diaspora across the globe. He remains one of the best live performers ever produced from the state. 

Imitaz Ali says casting actors who are good singers was pivotal for Chamkila

Most of the film's music, which is composed by A R Rahman, was recorded on set with the actors singing live. Ali said it was important to have actors who could sing and Diljit and Parineeti were perfect. "It was inevitable that the actors had to be the singers. So, if Diljit wasn't in the film, then I don't know whether the film could be made. He's an authentic singer from Punjab who understands life, the cultural context and the linguistics of Chamkila better than anybody. It has been an interesting journey with him on this film."

Amar Singh Chamkila is set to release on Netflix on April 12.
(With inputs from PTI)