Four reasons to watch Diljit Dosanjh-Parineeti Chopra starrer Amar Singh Chamkila on Netflix

Imtiaz Ali-directed Amar Singh Chamkila will drop on Netflix on March 12.

Netflix today launched the trailer of Imtiaz Ali’s upcoming film Amar Singh Chamkila which will be released on April 12. The biopic tells the tale of the popular Punjabi singer who was killed at the age of 27. Starring Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra, the movie recounts the journey of his soaring success and brutal criticism before his untimely death.

Here are some reasons why this movie is a must-watch for film lovers:

A captivating real-life story

The story of one of Punjab’s most influential and popular singers – he was known as the Elvis of Punjab – was waiting to be told. Chamkila created a sensation with his lyrics and compositions and continued making music despite being labelled vulgar by a few. It is said that people would fix marriage dates only after knowing Chamkila’s availability to sing at the wedding. Gunned down along with his singer-wife Amarjot at the young age of 27, Chamkila left behind a music legacy which continues to influence musicians across Punjab and beyond.

Diljit Dosanjh as Chamkila

One rockstar playing another! Ali got Dosanjh to say yes to playing the role of a lifetime. On his part, the latter has said that he was waiting for a call from the filmmaker. One of the most popular singers of today, Dosanjh is the only Indian Punjabi artist to perform at the prestigious Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in 2023. The singer acknowledged that Chamkila’s compositions were at a level which is beyond them. “How he made them and opened the dimensions is something we won’t know, but we (musicians) are still following that,” he said.

Parineeti Chopra’s singer avatar

Not only is it a role of a lifetime for the Punjabi actor, it is also the first time Parineeti Chopra will be seen singing for herself onscreen as Chamkila’s wife, the extremely talented Amarjot. At the trailer launch of the film, not only did musician AR Rahman compliment Pari’s singing prowess, Dosanjh too was effusive in his praise for the hard work the actress has put in. “In some ways, it is more difficult to sing like Amarjot’s because her notes were even higher than Chamkila’s. When you see the film, you will realise how beautifully she has sung,” said Dosanjh.

Parineeti Chopra' Amarjot Kaur and Diljit Dosanjh in and as Amar Singh Chamkila. (Courtesy Netflix©2024)

AR Rahman’s music

Something magical comes out when AR Rahman teams up with Ali. This jodi is behind some of the most popular music albums including Highway, Rockstar and Tamasha and nothing less than magic is expected from them when it comes to Amar Singh Chamkila as well. Rahman, who calls Ali “a friend and co-storyteller”, explained that since Chamkila’s songs were already there, he came into the picture for his take which led them to making some original songs as well. “We had around three-four days of jamming in our studio with the live musicians and recorded them just to get the feel of it. Then we got Diljit and Pari to record the songs and they did an amazing job,” he said.