The biopic of Amar Singh Chamkila was released on Netflix yesterday, and since then everyone has been talking about the film. The Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra starrer has been winning hearts and fans have loved this Imtiaz Ali directorial. As shown in the film, after Chamkila gets threatening letters asking him to stop performing his songs, he gets worried for his family and runs into a Government officer working in the Income Tax Department.
Swaran Sivia, who also became his songwriter, opened up in an interview about Chamkila getting scared by the threatening letters and more.
Swaran Singh recalls Amar Singh Chamkila’s reaction on receiving threatening letters
Talking to the YouTube channel RPD 24, Swaran Sivia revealed that he had helped Amar Singh Chamkila meet the Kharku Singhs seniors who were behind the threats. Swaran recalled that in 1986, when the singer got the threat letters, he wanted Swaran to see if those letters were true or if someone was trying to fool him. Swaran further added that one letter was signed by Rashpal Singh Chandra from Bhindranwale Tiger Force and the other letters were from Khalistan Commando Force and Khalistan Liberation Force.
When Chamkila learned that the letters were authentic, he was ‘visibly shaken’. Swaran also revealed that when the singer was dropping him back in his ambassador car, they happened to cross the village of Rashpal Singh Chandra. When Chamkila learned that they were so close to Chandra’s village, “he was shaking; he lost his grip on the steering wheel for a second.” Swaran reportedly found a connection so that Chamkila could visit the Golden Temple and meet the seniors of the Kharku Singhs.
He recalled asking the singer to apologize and assure them that he would sing decent songs so that they would not threaten him anymore.
Swaran Singh opens up on visiting the Golden Temple with Chamkila
After reaching the Golden Temple, Swaran went inside alone and told them, “Chamkila is a soft-hearted man that, if you look at him sternly, he might have a heart attack,” he recalled, and was assured that Chamkila would be safe. Swaran revealed that when he asked Chamkila to join in, he started crying. He felt that they would kill him there. But when Swaran assured him that they had made a promise in front of Guru Granth Sahib of not doing something like this, he gained confidence.
Swaran recalled the instructions he gave Chamkila before entering the room. “I told him that you don’t touch their feet. I said you only pray to god inside. When we entered inside, Baba Wassan Singh Zaffarwal was standing so he immediately hugged Chamkila. He told him that you have a roaring voice, you do the right thing, sing some good songs. They did not scold him at all. Chamkila folded his hands and apologized. He said I have made a huge mistake, please forgive me. They said you apologize to God and then speak to us. While praying, he offered Rs 5,100 there."
About Chamkila
The upcoming movie will explore the life and times of the legendary Punjabi artist Amar Singh Chamkila. Known for his record-breaking music and electrifying live performances in the 1980s, Chamkila features Diljit Dosanjh as the singer and Parineeti Chopra as his wife. The movie has been bankrolled by Mohit Choudhary, Select Media Holdings LLP, Saregama, and Window Seat Films.
