Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali recently discussed the relevance of creating a film on the late Punjabi singer Amar Singh Chamkila in today's context. Ali, who directed the biopic starring Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra, emphasized that Chamkila's life and the issues he faced remain profoundly relevant even now.
In an interview with Film Companion, Ali highlighted, "The subject matter has so many things that make him relevant today, that it did not worry me that people would not relate. His life, the issues in his life make him red-hot relevant right now."
Amar Singh Chamkila's songs addressed various topics, including alcoholism and domestic abuse. Tragically, he, along with his wife Amarjot Kaur and two band members, was assassinated in 1988 at the age of 27.
Dosanjh, who portrays Chamkila in the film, expressed his complete trust in Ali's vision, likening Chamkila's significance to that of American icon Elvis Presley.
The conversation also touched upon Imtiaz Ali's film "Rockstar," which explored the life of a fictional singer. Dosanjh shared his admiration for the film but humorously mentioned that he couldn't find any personal pain to connect with the film's theme of "Great art can only come from a broken heart."
With Parineeti Chopra portraying Amarjot Kaur, "Amar Singh Chamkila" is set to release on Netflix on April 12th.
