Amir Singh Chamkila covers the rise and tragic fall of one of the most popular Indian singers of all time and was filmed in many locations where the titular musician’s life unfolded.
Coming from a working-class background, Chamkila would have a meteoric rise to fame, courting controversy with his lyrics, often reflecting on sex, drugs, and rock n roll, but becoming huge in the eighties before being assassinated in cold blood along with his wife and two band members.
Filming Locations Explained
Keeping an air of authenticity about the film, the producers decided to shoot using as many filming locations as they could where Chamkila’s life had unfolded. This would help the film create the image and tone they were trying to achieve and show viewers some of the real locations that Chamkila and his wife and band visited.
Ludhiana is the center of industry in Punjab and is where Chamkila would first make his mark, cementing himself into the popular culture of the time, and growing his fan base. There are plenty of scenes that showcase the area.
The film follows the story of Chamkila’s ascension to notoriety through his music, he would of course go on tour, and the film showcases some of the cities and towns he would visit including Sangrur.
To list every location would be impossible, but the film does its best to explain that the performer would tour extensively and relentlessly as his star began to shine. Of course, the film would have to explore the final fate of the much-loved artist, and production would switch to Mehsampur village in the Jalandhar district, where the terrible events that ended the life of Chamkila would occur.
Production Timeline
I’ve put together a brief timeline of how Amar Singh Chamkila made its way to Netflix:
- Once the film was greenlit, production was reported to start in December of 2022.
- Filming would continue through to March of 2023 when post-production would begin.
- The film received a premiere in Mumbai on April 8th, 2024.
- Amar Singh Chamkila was officially released on Netflix on April 12th, 2024.
Who produced and directed Amar Singh Chamkila?
One of the main driving forces behind the project is Imtiaz Ali, who would write, direct, and help produce the film. As far as music-based films go, this is not his first rodeo, as the filmmaker was also involved in the 2011 film Rockstar which managed to please critics and audiences alike.
Ali would work once again with musician and composer A. R. Rahman for the film’s soundtrack, after a successful pairing with the composer on Rockstar.
This feature adds to a portfolio of work that started in 2005 with the film Socha Na Tha.
Mohit Choudhary is also a named producer on the film, and company-wise, Window Seat Films, Select Media Holdings, and Saregama are all credited.
