The film 'Chamkila', starring Diljit Dosanjh and Parineeti Chopra, has made its grand debut on Netflix. It's receiving acclaim from all quarters with immense praise for both the lead actors and every aspect of 'Chamkila'. The 1980s iconic Punjabi singer Amar Singh Chamkila is being rediscovered by audiences through this movie.
Chamkila's life had aspects lesser known to the public, like his first marriage. Before gaining fame in singing, Chamkila was first married to Gurmail Kaur. However, his second marriage was with Amarjot Kaur, his duet performer. Post-release, many interviews with Gurmail have begun to surface, offering new insights.
In one such interview, Gurmail recounts how Chamkila respected her. Despite the controversies during his lifetime, she had to fight even harder to establish his memorial after his passing.
Gurmail, the respected wife of Chamkila
On the 'Love Punjab' podcast, Gurmail mentioned that Chamkila, although married to Amarjot, respected her greatly. Speaking in Punjabi, she said, 'He often told his father how sensible Gurmail is. She never let my head bow down in shame before anyone. She could have sent me to jail for remarrying (referring to his second marriage).'
Gurmail spoke of maintaining a normal relationship with Amarjot, his second wife. 'He usually visited home alone. He brought Amarjot only once or twice. There are many things in the world one must be mindful of. When she visited, I suggested that I'd cook the vegetables and she could make the bread. But she did not know how to cook. Eventually, we hired a cook.'
Gurmail's Battle for Her Husband's Memorial
Gurmail shared the substantial struggles she faced in erecting Chamkila's memorial. The local community strongly objected to it. She revealed, 'People started saying that if we begin constructing memorials for everyone who dies, soon there will be no space left for cremating the dead.'
The construction materials Gurmail had ordered for the memorial were left untouched. She then spoke to a local holy man who accompanied her to the police station. The authorities, after mediating talks with the opposing parties, allowed the memorial's construction.
It is noteworthy that in the '80s, Chamkila sold more records in Punjab than any other artist, and his tapes were the most sought-after. However, he was always accused of writing and performing vulgar songs. He faced numerous threats because of this. In 1988, a fatal attack took Chamkila's life along with Amarjot and two other companions. His biopic 'Chamkila' is now streaming on Netflix.
