Amar Singh Chamkila | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Birth name | Dhanni Ram |
Also known as | Chamkila |
Born | Dugri, Ludhiana, Punjab, India | 21 July 1960
Died | 8 March 1988 Mehsampur, Punjab, India | (aged 27)
Genres | Punjabi duets, solos, folk, religious |
Occupation(s) | Singer, musician, composer |
Instrument(s) | Vocals, tumbi, harmonium, dholak |
Years active | 1979-1988 |
Labels | HMV |
Spouse(s) | Gurmail Kaur, Amarjot |
Amar Singh Chamkila (21 July 1960 – 8 March 1988) was an Indian singer and musician of Punjabi music. Chamkila's vivid language, high pitched vocals, novel compositions accompanied with masterful Tumbi made him famous. Chamkila and his second wife Amarjot were killed, along with two members of their band on 8 March 1988 in an assassination which remains unresolved.[1]
Amar Singh Chamkila is regarded as one of the most influential Punjabi artists and live stage performers that Punjab has produced. His music was heavily influenced by the Punjabi village life he was surrounded by growing up.[2]
His best-known hits "Pehle Lalkare Naal" and his devotional songs "Baba Tera Nankana", " Tar Gayi Ravidas Di Pathri" and "Talwar Main Kalgidhar Di". Though he never recorded it himself, he wrote the widely popular "Jatt Di Dushmani" which has been recorded by many Punjabi artists. He became famous as a result of his first ever recorded song "Takue Te Takua".
Amar Singh Chamkila was born as Dhanni Ram on 21 July 1960 into a Dalit Sikh family in the village of Dugri near Ludhiana, Punjab, India.[3] His aspirations of becoming an electrician were unfulfilled and he found work at a Ludhiana cloth mill.[4]
With a natural aptitude for music, he learned to play the harmonium and dholki. In 1979, Chamkila approached Surinder Shinda for the first time on a bicycle with his best friend Kuldeep Paras.[5] When Shinda heard the 18-year-old Chamkila sing, he finally found the protege that he had been looking for. Chamkila would go on to play alongside Punjabi folk artists such as K. Deep, Mohammad Sadiq and Shinda. He wrote several songs for Shinda and accompanied him as a member of his entourage before deciding to pursue a solo career.[5]
Adopting the stage name Amar Singh Chamkila – Chamkila in Punjabi means one that glitters. Chamkila first partnered up with the female vocalist Surinder Sonia[5] who had previously worked with Surinder Shinda. Sonia had felt sidelined after Shinda took Gulshan Komal to a tour in Canada, after which she was instrumental in pushing Chamkila to record his debut album. The pair recorded eight duets and released the album "Takue Te Takua" in 1980 with music produced by Charanjit Ahuja. The cunningly worded lyrics, which he had written himself, became hits across Punjab.[5]
In 1980, Chamkila felt he was significantly underpaid by Surinder Sonia's manager (her husband) and decided to form his own group. Chamkila established short-lived stage partnerships with Miss Usha Kiran, Amar Noorie and others.[6]
Chamkila, for the most part, wrote his own lyrics, the majority of which were boyish and suggestive, yet fluent, commentaries on extramarital affairs, alcohol and drug use. The couple's appeal grew not only in the Punjab, but they quickly raced to international stardom among Punjabis abroad. Around this time, Chamkila was rumoured to be receiving more bookings than his contemporaries. The biography "Awaz Mardi Nahin" by Gulzar Singh Shaunki found during its research that at the height of his popularity Chamkila had performed 366 shows in 365 days.[7]
Having arrived to perform in Mehsampur, Punjab, both Chamkila and Amarjot were gunned down as they exited their vehicle on 8 March 1988 at approximately 2PM.[1] A gang of motorcyclists fired several rounds, fatally[8] wounding the couple and other members of the entourage. However, no arrests were ever made with connection to the shooting and the case was never solved.[9][10] It is alleged to have been done by Sikh militants.[11][12] This theory was refuted by his close friend and lyricist, Swarn Sivia, who had investigated the murder independently. Swarn Sivia alongwith Chamkila had met Militants to apologize and vowed to change themes of his songs. Following that, he performed some timeless songs on Sikh history, including ‘Sathon Baba Kho Laya Tera Nankana’. Swarn Sivia remained skeptical that Khalistan Militants were responsible for his murder, saying, "Throughout my life, I have continued to investigate who was behind his killing."[13]
Indian film composer Amit Trivedi called Chamkila "a legend, the Elvis of Punjab."[14]
British Indian musician, Panjabi MC, cites Chamkila as one of his musical influences.[15]
Mehsampur is a 2018 Indian mockumentary film based on Chamkila's life, produced and directed by Kabir Singh Chowdhry.[16]
Jodi, a 2023 Punjabi-language film was inspired from the life of Chamkila.[17]
Amar Singh Chamkila, a biographical drama film, based on Chamkila's life was released on Netflix on 12 April 2024.[18] It is directed by Imtiaz Ali and stars Diljit Dosanjh as Chamkila and Parineeti Chopra as his wife, Amarjot Kaur.[19]
Chamkila's studio recordings were released by HMV as LP records and EP records during his lifetime. Though several compilation albums have been released since his death, the following CDs compiled by Saregama comprise nearly all of Chamkila's studio recordings: