- Amar Singh Chamkila is a fun and quirky biopic made on singer Amar Singh Chamkila
- Amar Singh Chamkila, now streams exclusively on Netflix
Name: Amar Singh Chamkila
Director: Imtiaz Ali
Cast: Parineeti Chopra,Diljit Dosanjh
Rating: 3 / 5
Amar Singh Chamkila, directed by Imtiaz Ali and starring Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra is the story of the highest selling singer in the history of Punjab, known for his objectionable songs, who was shot dead, along with his second wife Amarjot Kaur, before a concert in Ludhiana, Punjab, at a tender age of 27.
Plot:
Amar Singh Chamkila is a musical-biopic-drama that digs deep into the short yet eventful life of the controversial singer that Amar Singh Chamkila (Diljit Dosanjh) was, from the time he started gaining recognition as a side-act, to the time he was shot dead, along with his second wife Amarjot Kaur (Parineeti Chopra) and other band members, while performing in Punjab.
What works for Amar Singh Chamkila:
Amar Singh Chamkila is a fresh film with a uniquely written screenplay. It has been filmed unconventionally and has adopted filming techniques that are rarely used in Indian films, like the use of animation which is extraordinary, the constant use of real photos and footage to make the film look as real as possible or the commoners singing into the camera, breaking the fourth wall. Imtiaz Ali the director has a much firmer grip on the screenplay than his recent outings. He is able to extract good work out of his actors. The comedic punches land and a few romantic moments bring a wide smile too. The music album is par excellence, much to the credit of AR Rahman, Mohit Chauhan, Irshad Kamil and others. A sequence where Chamkila addresses the imposition of political correctness is worth highlighting
What doesn't work for Amar Singh Chamkila:
Amar Singh Chamkila lacks the emotional depth that a story of this sort requires. The assassination episode that is used to bind the story, ends up becoming just another event in the life of Chamkila. Yes Amar Singh Chamkila is pitched as a musical, but the number of songs and music sequences end up feeling like a lot, even though none of them can be deemed as even underwhelming for that matter. The movie does get slow and repetitive in portions. A sharper and racier treatment could have made the movie a much more entertaining watch.
Watch the Amar Singh Chamkila Trailer
Performances:
Diljit Dosanjh lives and breathes the character of Amar Singh Chamkila. The resemblance isn't at all uncanny.
Parineeti Chopra as Amarjot Kaur is good in her role. The scene where she blushes when she meets Chamkila is a personal favourite.
Every other character in the movie, compliments the story in his or her own unique way.
Final Verdict of Amar Singh Chamkila:
Although Amar Singh Chamkila lacks the emotional depth of Imtiaz Ali films, it offers a very unique kind of cinema which is worth appreciating.
Amar Singh Chamkila is now streaming on Netflix.
