A Movie Review by Kavita A Chhibber.
There are not many films that compel me to see them back to back, but that is what happened with #amarsinghchamkila.
It was stemmed out of curiosity the first time.
I frankly did not know who he was until the buzz began a few months ago.
My favorite Punjabi Singer before I left for the US in July 1984, was always the charmer Gurdaas Maan. His voice, thoughtful, writing and his pure, deep performances have lasted in our hearts forever.
He remains loved by so many and is as endearing in real life.
I was surprised that my very conservative sister knew of Chamkila and loved many of his songs.
When I started researching him, I was not taken to anything related to him, but to interviews with his first wife, Gurmail Kaur, and many others who were not larger than life and were actually not featured prominently or not at all in the film.
I wish they had been.
For those who are raving about #diljitdosanjh and his incredible performance, I’ve got to say that this is truly a masterpiece that belongs to director #ImtiazAli and I appreciate Diljit so much for saying repeatedly that his performance is totally the director’s work.
To tell the story of a man who many accused of vulgarity and double entendre songs, of corrupting society, with such elegance and refinement and still remaining real is not something everyone can do.
And so here comes this young Dalit boy who shows a mirror to society – singing about topics that were very much a part of the dark side of the tapestry of Indian life, but no one wanted to rip that fabric apart to reveal the truth.
Chamkila did… and eventually paid the price.
Was it because (as is revealed) he had that servile mentality, where he could never say no, where he was never the boss? Was it because, as he said to Amarjot, now was the time to reap the rewards and figure out right or wrong later? Or was it because he said not everyone had the capacity to figure out right or wrong? He just gave people what they wanted, based on his experiences.
And his midas touch did the rest. This is also a story that compels us to self reflect. The characters, the story, truly showcased the way society was and remains to this day. Full of hypocrisy.
Imitiaz Ali brought out the best in every actor. Diljit lived and breathed Chamkila. He shared in an interview that when he was falling in the scene where he was shot, a drop of blood fell from his hand and he felt the presence of Chamkila and that his blood must have dropped there as well.
#ParineetiChopra – this is probably her best performance to date. She complemented Chamkila perfectly as Amarjot. But I wish her character was more fleshed out.
Imtiaz Ali’s research was pretty impeccable according to many in the know.
There was a man who said he saw the shooting. The road from where Chamkila’s car arrived before he was assassinated was a kacha road at that time. Now it is not, but it was turned back into one, even though you can’t see much of it in the film.
I love that kind of dedication to detail.
I wish this was a web series and not a film, because there is so much that was left unexplored or touched on very lightly.
The complexities of the times, the many characters who needed more fleshing out – such as Gurmail Kaur, Chamikila’s first wife.
The very first interview that I saw was of Chamkila’s first wife Gurmail Kaur.
And it was so interesting. A very feisty woman, she was so practical in how she handled her husband’s illegal second marriage. It seems Amarjot was also married earlier and had not divorced her husband. Gurmail’s take on so many things was fascinating. And also her childlike excitement at being invited to Bombay to watch the film. She shared that she knew Diljit from before and he would see her and touch her feet.
And he acknowledged that when they met again. The pride in her eyes was sweet.
Then I saw the interview of Amarjot’s older sister and that revealed biases but also some very interesting aspects of her sister, who she said was a feisty super athlete and a good student. Everyone in the family was musical. Amarjot just took it a step further.
She pointed out that it was only after the duo got together that Chamkila became so sought after. And her sister deserves that credit.
The most telling (and for me honest) interview was with Chamkila’s oldest sister Swaranjit Kaur.
She stuck to her story of a happy joint family, where her brother was very loved and wanted, being the first boy after three sisters, one of whom did not survive.
She said they were neither poor nor rich. They were just a happy, close knit family where her brother showed zero interest in music or singing and was a very bright student.
Then an astrologer saw his forehead and told them “this boy is born in your family by accident. He will fly in airplanes and ride in luxury cars. He has a very bright future.”
As Chamkila became richer and more famous, she became more and more uncomfortable. Jealousy, envy rears its ugly head and with money and fame come those dark moments that create tragedies.
She said she even told him to stop.
He said he could not give up on his music.
His sister was very candid about Chamkila’s character flaws, his two marriages, his abuse of Amarjot (“He would rip her kurtas. She would collect and show them to me and I would scold him. And he would say he won’t do it again.”). His generosity, his fearlessness in the face of death threats (“He was never afraid of anything.”) and how a couple of months before he died he showed her his book of appointments (“Every day was filled except March 8, 1988. It was empty”.)
That empty space was filled by a family for a wedding, requesting his performance. Chamkila and Amarjot were killed as they arrived at the venue.
That family received so much hate after Chamkila’s death that they had to leave the country according to one relative.
A relative also pointed out that Chamkila is a gift who keeps on giving.
Every singer who started his career singing a song by Chamkila has become a superstar, she said and mentioned several names.
I loved all the songs and Rahman’s music.
I’m now listening to Chamkila’s songs because so much gets lost in translation. (Grateful to know Punjabi!)
Today the very themes Chamkila was criticized for are being explored in so many films. Songs are being sung that are equally, if not more, risque. Just for the heck of it.
Like all exceptional beings who leave an impact, Chamkila was ahead of the times.
I’m glad that unlike many greats who were appreciated only after they left the planet, Chamkila tasted the extraordinary success that he did at such a young age. His life was cut short. I wish it was different. It left many other tragedies in its wake within the family. His father did not step out if his house for ten years and died a broken man. His brother died of depression. Chamkila’s 15 day old infant son also tragically died.
But he became a one man cult. And so many stories, even of wishes being fulfilled if you went to his village and prayed before his memorial abound.
Chamkila shines on while so many others haven’t.
Reminds me of that famous line from Anand: “Babu Moshai, zindagi badi honi chahiye, lambi nahin”.
Chamkila epitomized that.
(Photo credit Netflix.)