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Why is Amar Singh Chamkila still relevant after 36 years of his demise? Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali answers
Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali in a recent interview talked about the reason he chose Amar Singh Chamkila's life story for his upcoming movie and why the musician is still relevant.
Filmmaker Imtiaz Ali has never gone wrong with his choice of films. He has been celebrated by cinema enthusiasts not just for his craft of directing but also for the art of storytelling. He is currently gearing up for the release of Amar Singh Chamkila, a film based on the life of a Punjabi musician by the same name. Chamkila passed away in 1988; so after 36 years, what makes his story relevant today - Imtiaz Ali answers.
Imtiaz Ali on the relevancy of Amar Singh Chamkila’s story
The ace director who has paired Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra opposite each other in this movie recently spoke to Film Companion and revealed, “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. For instance, who decides what people should or shouldn't listen to? The fact that Chamkila was so popular at the grassroot level, but was equally at constant threat by that society, was an interesting dichotomy (to explore)."
For the unversed, Amar Singh Chamkila was a revolutionary singer who told vulnerable stories through his songs including that of alcoholism and domestic abuse. It was in 1988, that 27-year-old Chamkila, his wife Amarjot Kaur (played by Parineeti in the film), and two more members of his band were assassinated mercilessly.
During the same interview, Diljit Dosanjh revealed how he fully embraced Imtiaz Ali's creative direction throughout the film's production. He also drew a comparison between Chamkila and the iconic American figure, Elvis Presley. Dosanjh was heard quoting, "He is a much bigger deal to us than Elvis.”
The conversation then turned towards Imtiaz Ali's collaboration with Ranbir Kapoor on the film Rockstar, which also revolved around a fictional singer. Reflecting on it, Dosanjh admitted attempting to connect with a similar depth of emotion after watching Rockstar. He quipped, "But I don't have any such pain and I am still an artiste. It is one of my favorite films though".
Amar Singh Chamkila starts to stream on Netflix on April 12.
ALSO READ: Amar Singh Chamkila’s Diljit Dosanjh thinks he lacks necessary qualities to be an actor; here’s why
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