Diljit Dosanjh Shines As Amar Singh Chamkila: All You Need To Know About The Iconic Punjabi Singer

The teaser of Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra's Amar Singh Chamkila was released on Tuesday, 30 May.

Singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh is all set to play the role of Punjabi singer Amar Singh Chamkila in his upcoming film. The teaser of the Imtiaz Ali directorial was released on Tuesday, 30 May. The promo shows Diljit Dosanjh in the role of the late singer.  The Jogi actor will be joined by Parineeti Chopra in the movie. Amar Singh Chamkila not only gained recognition from a very young age but also became the highest record-selling artist of his time. He was killed at the age of 27 back in 1988.

As the film gears up to tell the "untold true story of the greatest singer of his time", scroll down to know in detail about Amar Singh Chamkila.

Who was Amar Singh Chamkila?

Born on July  21 1960, Amar Singh Chamkila was a singer, songwriter, and musician who is widely regarded as one of the most influential Punjabi folk artists of all time. While his music career spanned less than a decade, he did leave an impression and was regarded as one of the greatest Punjabi folk live stage performers. His energetic singing style and his provocative lyrics were some of the major reasons behind his fame.

Amar Singh Chamkila: Career

Amar Singh Chamkila started his career at a young age when he started playing the harmonium and dholki. From a young age, he went on to play along with Punjabi folk artists like K. Deep, Mohammad Saddiq, and Surinder Shinda, before pursuing his solo career. Later, he partnered up with a female vocalist Surinder Sonia and recorded eight duets that went on to become major hits across Punjab.

Following this, his success rose significantly, thanks to his free open-air concerts which also forged a connection with the people, During this period, Amar Singh Chamkila also wrote several songs and sold them to other artists. Around 1985, Chamkila along with Amarjot Kaur (a female folk artist who later became his wife) released three devotional LPs that went on to become highly successful. Later, he also recorded a song for a Punjabi film and then one music video for the state-owned Doordarshan channel, before his death in 1988.
Chamkila had recorded in excess of 90 songs and reportedly had around 200 songs that had not been sung or recorded at that time.  

Amar Singh Chamkila: Death

It was on March 8, 1988, when Amar Singh Chamkila arrived in Punjab's Mehsampur village where he was gunned down by a gang of unknown youths. His wife Amarjot Kaur was also killed. 

While it has been years since his untimely demise, the way Amar Singh Chamkila gave a new dimension to Punjabi folk music is still remembered