Indian cinema must be given credit for unearthing a hero out of the common people. Recently, Amar Singh Chamkila has emerged as a cult figure who defines Punjabiyat. We also have a tradition of writing an obituary in good light, whether the person deserves it or not. Therefore, gone and passed souls must not be viewed critically, which does not augur well in a mature democracy like India. Dissent plays a great role in shaping a society and country.
Cinema is a pure business; they know how to earn money by creating a larger-than-life character out of nothing, and when something is really there, then it becomes the icing on the cake. Undoubtedly, Chamkila’s presence was felt everywhere in the middle- and lower-middle-class society of Punjab. Through his songs and performances, he commanded a certain degree of influence in society. There, he passes the litmus taste of a biopic and cult figure per se.
Now, quality of lyrics, values, and ideals are some of the basic attributes required to become a cult figure. The quality of major songs resembles today’s Bohojpuri songs, such as Lopi Pop, Koka Kola, Do Ghoot, and so on. The themes of the songs were vulgar, and the rendition was equally suited to the mood of the theme. He portrayed familial relationships with a tinge of coated sex and extramarital relationships. Based on a decent societal norm, he fails to present them to the public. It had never been the theme of his contemporaries like Gurudas Mann, Kuldeep Manak, Surinder Shinda, Didar Sandhu, and many more. The lyrics of Chamkila and his contemporaries were quite different from each other.
When he was writing his indubitable success story through his singing and public performances, Punjab was going through a bad phase of its history. The Khalistan movement was on the rise, and we found him compromising with the fringe elements in order to remain safe and gain popularity as well. This is what does not go in sync with Punjabiyat. Punjabiyat is known to stand against the odds openly, right from the spiritual Sikh Guru Arjan Dev to Udham Singh, Bulleh Shah to Amrita Pritam and many more.
Film Director Imtiaz Ali tried to sensualize the depiction of Chamikal’s story in such a way that it could entertain the audience by invoking sympathy with the sprinkles of sexual and adulterous ingredients. It may be a popular story of a Punjabi singer with many ups and downs, but it does not define Punjabiyat for sure.