Amar Singh Chamkila: Bollywood’s Best Film of 2024 Didn’t Even Release in Theatres

In the Hindi film industry, there seems to be a pervasive belief that OTT platforms bear responsibility for the lack of success in theatrical releases. This sentiment often leads filmmakers and trade analysts to express frustration, periodically calling for audience support by urging them to invest in theaters despite anticipating disappointment from mediocre films.

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Over the last six months, Hindi cinema has been struggling in theaters. You don’t even need to look at the box office numbers to question the state of the movies; you can simply watch those films (in part, at home) and understand why audiences aren’t excited about going to the cinemas anymore. Only a few films in the first half of 2024 have provide a pleasant viewing experience, and the standout among them wasn’t even release in theaters. This was the Netflix release “Amar Singh Chamkila.”

Diljit Dosanjh Shines in a Career-Defining Role

Amar Singh Chamkila featured Diljit Dosanjh in the titular role, portraying the slain Punjabi singer. This film marked a significant comeback for Imtiaz Ali, who was once adored by millennials for films like Jab We Met and Rockstar, until he lost favor with Jab Harry Met Sejal and Love Aaj Kal 2. However, it was Diljit Dosanjh who truly surprised audiences with his performance in Chamkila. Over the last decade, Diljit has appeared in numerous Hindi and Punjabi films, but his portrayal here was profoundly captivating. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Diljit’s performance is perhaps the best seen in Hindi cinema in recent years. While marketing campaigns often focus on body transformations and actors performing their own stunts, there is no campaign for a performance so remarkable that it blurs the line between the actor and the character he played.

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Diljit Dosanjh’s Stellar Performance Elevates Amar Singh Chamkila

Amar Singh Chamkila had its share of flaws, but the idea that the lead character in the film wasn’t a goody-two-shoes felt novel, mainly because Hindi cinema has fed us hagiographies where even Mohd Azhruddin absolve of match fixing. The execution of that opening number in Amar Singh Chamkila was enough to leave us in awe but what Diljit did with the rest of the film was an experience that’s hard to replicate.

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Amar Singh Chamkila doesn’t have the box office numbers to prove that it was a success. It doesn’t have those medals to prove that it was a success and so, perhaps like many other good films that have come before it, this might find itself to be an ‘underrated gem’ a few years later.