Amar Singh Chamkila Movie Review | Diljit Dosanjh shined as ‘Chamkila’, the actor gave the best performance, Imtiaz Ali’s direction also won hearts.

Amar Singh Chamkila, the new OTT release on Netflix, can easily be called one of the best biopics made in India. The cast of Diljit Dosanjh as Amar Singh Chamkila and Parineeti Chopra as his wife and stage partner Amarjot Kaur are a treat to watch. Difficult because the film starts with their fate and reverses with their story. This time Imtiaz Ali has come up with a completely new experience as he has tried his hands on a biopic for the first time and he has done complete justice to it. Like his other films, Chamkila will also leave a mark on your mind, raise many questions and as a viewer you will need some time to process after the film is over. The controversial Amar Singh Chamkila is Diljit Dosanjh’s best work as the actor and singer inside him gets a clean slate to perform. Parineeti Chopra will definitely surprise you. From her solo style to Amarjot Kaur’s perfect transformation, one must appreciate.

Story

Amar Singh Chamkila begins with both Chamkila and Amarjot being shot dead when they were going to perform at a wedding. You see a wedding breaking down in the middle and everyone running to save their lives. The story progresses with Chamkila’s assistants taking the body from the police station and telling them how Amar Singh became ‘Chamkila’.

The filmmakers make sure to show how Chamkhila gravitated towards writing porn and saw that people were enjoying it. Diljit is effortless in showing the perfect transformation from a young boy to an aspiring singer. His enthusiasm to perform and just perform without any expectations leaves a mark.

Imtiaz Ali makes sure that he adds major life events in the film and it goes smoothly with the story. Chamkila later meets her stage partner Amarjot and after a hasty marriage, their ‘couple’ becomes inseparable. Chamkila becomes the most successful singer of all time but she is also surrounded by warnings and death threats. The film becomes more serious when the couple makes a choice and pays the price of being a part of the society.

directing

After much criticism with films like Love Aaj Kal 2 and Jab Harry Met Sejal, Imtiaz Ali is back and how! The filmmaker has created what he does best. Amar Singh Chamkila would not be placed in the same category as Jab We Met (simply because of the different genre and viewership) but it is definitely one of his best works. The filmmaker is confident with his facts, portrayal and music. Imtiaz Ali has used Chamkila and Rahman’s songs in an excellent way. However, the animated sequences may look a bit awkward at places but the conviction of Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti balances it out.

Imtiaz Ali has also given Parineeti Chopra the singer tag which she always wanted. The actor has less dialogues but proves her supreme potential as a singer. Diljit, who is performing Chamkila for the second time, is better only because of Imtiaz’s writing. The filmmaker has also done excellent casting as when actual photographs come on screen you know an effort has been made to keep it real. Imtiaz Ali has also rightly chosen an OTT release for Chamkila as the film features songs in Punjabi and an English explanation. Even if the film had gone for theatrical censorship, some words could have been changed.

acting

This is Diljit Dosanjh’s show! As the name suggests, the film Amar Singh revolves around the flamboyant Diljit. With the perfect blend of acting and singing the actor literally carries the entire film on his shoulders. The actors are able to do both brilliant jobs in the film. Diljit has made a name for himself in singing but this time you will get to see a vulnerable side of the actor. There are scenes in the film when Diljit acts just with his eyes (no dialogue required). The scenes ranging from the female singer’s confrontation with her manager to her meeting with his first wife Diljit are very good at these places.

Parineeti Chopra does complete justice to Amarjot Kaur. His signing, a notch above Diljit, seemed effortless and spoke volumes for the hard work put in by the actor. However, Chopra has very little dialogue in the film and appears on screen mostly during singing practice and stage performances. The filmmakers could have easily given a little more screen time. Furthermore, the film lacks a deeper glimpse into their relationship. Imtiaz Ali made sure that one understood his stage presence, but could not reflect his personal relationships as such. There’s an entire song about Parineeti’s character falling in love with Chamkila (Tu Kya Jaane), but you don’t get to see the other side of the coin. No one has a complete idea whether Chamkila was in love with him or just his singing.

The film has a great group of amazing supporting cast. Apinderdeep Singh as Swarna Sivia and Anjum Batra as Tikki are clearly excellent. Mohit Chauhan’s cameo in the song Baaja is effective.

music

Amar Singh Chamkila is a musical film and hence, music is its basic theme. Composer AR Rahman is an expert in creating different vibes in the film. There are some Hindi songs that tie in with the film and then there are Punjabi songs that the artistes perform on. Imtiaz and Rahman are clear with their song selection in the given circumstances and are able to hit the nail on the head.

Should the film be watched or not?

Amar Singh Shining is a must see. A film that dives deep into the life of an emerging artiste who is concerned with everything from just performing to performing. One who knows he will not last forever and makes a choice. The one who gets an ideal age and life partner and the couple who gets a chance to enjoy their success and death together. Imtiaz Ali makes sure that some of the scenes stay with you. Dialogues like ‘Chhammar hoon par bhuka to nahi maarunga’ and ‘Maine banaya hai chamkile ko’ will bring thrill to the audience.

The film mostly covers all the points. From the riots in Punjab to his love for music, from the increasing terrorism in Punjab to the enmity between artists. Although the film lacks in connecting with Amarjot’s character, Chamkila is a hit character. Diljit has played a character so beautifully that you would want to stand up and clap for the artiste. Overall, Amar Singh Chamkila is a must watch and definitely deserves four stars.