Diljit Dosanjh shines as Amar Singh Chamkila: Everything you need to know about the popular Punjabi singer

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-directed film was released on Tuesday, May 30. The promo features Diljit Dosanjh as the late singer. Jogi will be seen with actor Parineeti Chopra in the film. Amar Singh Chamkila not only gained recognition from a young age but also became the highest selling record artist of his time. He was killed in 1988 at the age of 27.

As the film gears up to narrate the “untold true story of the legendary singer of his time”, scroll down to know more about Amar Singh Chamkila.

Who was Amar Singh Chamkila?

Born on July 21, 1960, Amar Singh Chamkila was a singer, songwriter and composer widely regarded as one of the most influential Punjabi folk artists of all time. While his music career spanned less than a decade, he left an impact and was considered one of the greatest Punjabi folk live stage performers. His impressive singing style and his provocative lyrics were some of the major reasons for his popularity.

Amar Singh Chamkila: Career

Amar Singh Chamkila started his career at an early age when he started playing harmonium and drums. From a young age, he began to pursue his solo career. Deep played with Punjabi folk artists like Mohammad Sadiq and Surinder Shinda. Later, he partnered with a female singer Surinder Sonia and recorded eight duets which became big hits across Punjab.

After this, his success increased significantly, thanks to his free open-air concerts, which also created a connection with the public, during this period Amar Singh Chamkila also wrote several songs and sold them to other artists. Around 1985, Chamkila teamed up with Amarjot Kaur (a female folk artist who later became his wife) to release three devotional LPs that were very successful. Later, he also recorded a song for a Punjabi film and then a music video for the state-owned Doordarshan channel, before his death in 1988.
Chamkila recorded more than 90 songs and reportedly had around 200 songs that were not sung or recorded at the time.

Amar Singh Chamkila: Death

It was on March 8, 1988, when Amar Singh Chamkila reached Mehsampur village in Punjab where he was shot dead by a gang of unidentified youths. His wife Amarjot Kaur was also killed.

While many years have passed since his untimely death, the way Amar Singh Chamkila gave a new dimension to Punjabi folk music is still remembered today.