“Amar Singh Chamkila” is an exploration of what it is like to be popular and under attack at the same time, says filmmaker Imtiaz Ali on his upcoming biopic on the slain Punjabi singer.

Known as the 'Elvis Presley of Punjab', Chamkila was assassinated in 1988 along with his singing companion Amarjot in 1988. Actor-singer Diljit Dosanjh plays Chamkila while Parineeti Chopra is in the role of Amarjot.

"Chamkila was the most popular star during the 1980s, which was one of the worst periods of Punjab. Punjab has had many dark periods and this, contemporarily, was one of the darkest periods.

"We are talking about one artist, who was killed... I've shown just his life but that becomes symbolic to the lives of many other artists in Punjab and everywhere in the world, who have had the double stress of being popular and under attack at the same time," Ali told PTI in an interview on the sidelines of FICCI Frames 2024.

The filmmaker, best known for dramas like “Jab We Met”, “Love Aaj Kal”, “Tamasha”, and “Rockstar”, said he was motivated to examine the psyche of an artist facing the consequences of fame.

"In the life of an artist, apart from the obvious (fame), there’s also poignance, happiness and joy. I wanted to feel what happens when something is so much under attack and yet it is so popular. And what is that space from where an artist actually makes music,” Ali added.

The director praised lead actors Dosanjh and Chopra for their unwavering commitment towards the film.

"Nobody else could have played Chamkila (but Diljit). In the film, he is singing live on those 'akhadas', exactly like how Chamkila would sing. Everything you hear, like Diljit and Parineeti singing, in the film is actually sung live on location. Nothing has been added later. They both sang. This wouldn’t have been possible without Diljit and Parineeti. Parineeti trained a lot,” Ali said.

"Amar Singh Chamkila” is set to release on Netflix on April 12.

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