Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Sep 29: For director Imtiaz Ali, Amar Singh Chamkila was never a planned project, but rather an emotional calling. Now, with the film earning a prestigious International Emmy Award nomination, both the filmmaker and audiences are celebrating a journey that began with instinct and ended in global recognition.

Speaking to reporters, Imtiaz recalled how the story of the legendary Punjabi singer Amar Singh Chamkila kept surfacing during his frequent shoots in Punjab. Locals would often ask why no film had been made about this musical icon of the 1980s — a man whose fame was meteoric and whose end was tragically abrupt. Despite repeated suggestions, Ali initially hesitated, citing his lack of knowledge and concerns over life rights.

But fate had other plans. During the pandemic, a man named Harpreet — not from the film industry — walked into Imtiaz’s office with the official rights to Chamkila’s story and a strong belief that Ali was the one meant to tell it. That unexpected moment marked the beginning of what the director now describes as a "destined project", a gift that landed in his lap at the right time.

Ali reflected on the serendipity of it all: “Just a person from nowhere, a man on the street, can do you a big favour which a multimillionaire can’t. In a way, it was destiny.”

The film, which released in 2024 on Netflix, stars Diljit Dosanjh as Chamkila and Parineeti Chopra as Amarjot, and has since become both a critical success and a social media sensation, especially for its music-driven narrative. It has won hearts for authentically portraying the raw energy, cultural landscape, and tragic arc of Punjab’s most sensational folk artist.

Monika Shergill, VP of Content at Netflix, hailed the film’s nomination as a victory for local stories with global appeal. She emphasized how Chamkila’s rise to international acclaim shows that Indian narratives, deeply rooted in local culture, can resonate universally — especially when paired with powerful music.

Shergill noted that the world is increasingly embracing music as a storytelling tool, pointing to the success of K-pop Demon Hunters and RRR’s viral anthem “Naatu Naatu”. According to her, Chamkila stands tall in that lineage of culturally rooted stories that push boundaries and redefine how Indian cinema is seen globally.

She concluded, “Chamkila is taking culture from India and giving a new grammar of storytelling to the world. It’s proof we don’t need to change who we are — we just need to tell our stories honestly.”

From hesitation to global stage, Amar Singh Chamkila is no longer just a film — it’s become a testament to the power of faith, music, and storytelling, and a reminder that sometimes, the best stories find you when you're not even looking.