Amar Singh Chamkila Age, Death, Wife, Children, Family, Biography & More

Some Lesser Known Facts About Amar Singh Chamkila

• Amar Singh Chamkila, a highly acclaimed Punjabi Singer, is revered as one of the finest stage performers in Punjab. Even today, he commands a massive fan base in the region.

• He grew up in a conservative joint family, where he was born and raised.

• Since his childhood, Chamkila had a keen interest in singing and playing musical instruments such as Dhol and Tumbi.

• Although he excelled in academics, he decided to abandon his education prematurely in order to support his family financially.

• Chamkila began working at a cloth mill in Ludhiana after he decided to quit his school studies.

• At first, his ambition was to pursue a career as an electrician, but fate steered him towards the Punjabi Music Industry.

• Surinder Shinda, a celebrated Punjabi singer, discovered Amar Singh Chamkila in 1979 while he was cycling with his friend Kuldeep Paras. Impressed by Chamkila’s talent, Shinda invited him to join his troupe, thus introducing him to the Punjabi Music Industry.

• Chamkila wrote numerous songs for well-known Punjabi singers such as Surinder Shinda (Main Digie Tilak Ke), Jagmohan Kaur (Gabroo Nu Marda), KS Kooner (Deor Naal Nach Bhabiye), and others.

• It is reported that due to his inability to meet his family’s needs as a lyricist, he made the decision to embark on a solo singing career in order to secure a more substantial income.

• Chamkila achieved great popularity within the global Punjabi Community through his extensive collection of solo and duet songs.

• Later on, he would regularly collaborate and partake in live performances alongside notable Punjabi singers such as K. Deep, Muhammad Sadiq, Surinder Shinda, and more.

• Prior to embarking on his singing career alongside his partner and wife Amarjot, Chamkila had previously collaborated with various female singers such as Surinder Sonia, Usha Kiran, and many others.

• Chamkila and Amarjot’s live performances and open-air concerts (Akhade) made them highly sought after not just in Punjab, but also internationally in countries like Canada, the US, Dubai, and Bahrain.

• At a certain point in his singing career, his popularity had surpassed even that of Punjabi Folk legends like Kuldeep Manak, Gurdas Maan, and Surinder Shinda. It is worth noting that Surinder Shinda and Kuldip Manak were Amar Singh Chamkila’s competitors.

• Chamkila, an iconic performer, portrayed the essence of Punjab’s rural life through his songs that tackled significant social issues including drug abuse, dowry, infidelity, and sexual affairs.

• As per Gulzar Singh Shaunki’s biography titled “Awaz Mardi Nahin,” it was discovered through Gulzar’s research that during the peak of his fame, Chamkila accomplished the remarkable feat of performing 366 shows within a span of 365 days.

• Sources report that he would charge over ₹4000 per performance at wedding parties and functions.

• Chamkila’s most iconic track, ‘Pehle Lalkare Naal’, remains his greatest legacy. Even after his passing, the original song was included in the Punjabi film ‘Patola’ (1988). Its immense popularity has led to numerous reprises being featured in various other Punjabi films.

• During the recording of a devotional song, Amar Singh Chamkila and Amarjot sang together, presenting soulful melodies such as ‘Baba Tera Nankana’, ‘Talwar Main Kalgidhar Di Haan’, and ‘Naam Jap Le’.

• Chamkila would always incorporate the traditional musical instrument, Tumbi, into his live concerts. Together with Amarjot, Amar Singh Chamkila would showcase his exceptional Tumbi skills during their performances.

• He had been married twice, his first marriage being arranged while his second marriage with Amarjot was a result of love. However, he entered into his second marriage with Amarjot without legally divorcing his first wife, Gurmail Kaur.

• Chamkila and his pregnant wife Amarjot reportedly met a tragic end on 8 March 1988 around 1:40 pm. At that time, a biker gang allegedly shot them, along with four members of their band, just before their scheduled performance in the village of Mehsampur in Jalandhar. A man now points out the spot where this unfortunate incident took place.

• According to reports, at the time of his passing, he had over 200 unreleased songs that had not been officially sung or recorded. Some of these songs were performed by him during stage shows, including titles like ‘Dhee Mar Jai Badkar Loko’, ‘Jatt Di Dushmani’, and ‘Akhiyan Di Maar Buri’.

• After his demise in 1988, his song ‘Yaad Aave War War’ was released.

• According to reports, Chamkila possessed a bank account balance of ₹65 lakh at the time of his demise.

Conspiracies Theories About Chamkila’s Murder

It is possible that Amarjot’s family may have been responsible for the murder, as they may have wanted to protect their family from defamation. This is because Amarjot’s caste, being Jatt, was regarded as higher than Chamkila’s.

During the Khalistan Movement in 1980, it is believed that the militants took offense to Chamkila’s lyrics, possibly leading to his unfortunate demise.

It is possible that Chamkila was killed by his rivals, fueled by envy of his accomplishments.

According to an alternative theory, it is suggested that he may have been murdered by someone he had turned down for a performance due to scheduling issues or other reasons.

There is a belief that the Punjab Police might have been responsible for the murder due to their dissatisfaction with Chamkila’s explicit songs.

• Kamal Chamkila, his daughter, paid tribute to her father Chamkila in 2014 by singing the song ‘Lalkara’ alongside Punjabi singer Raj Brar.

• In recent times, several Punjabi singers such as Chamak Chamkila, Nirmal Sidhu, Amar Arshi, and Surinder Shinda have sung remix versions of many of his solo songs.

• Chamkila’s lyrics have been incorporated into the chorus of numerous songs by various singers. Some notable examples include ‘Mere Yaar Ne’ by Gippy Grewal and ‘Shad De Vairne Yaari’ by Jazzy B.

• The life of Amar Singh Chamkila was the inspiration for two films released in 2017: the biopic “Amar Chamkila” and the documentary “Mehsampur.” The poster for “Amar Chamkila” provides a cinematic portrayal of the legendary singer’s life, while also featuring the documentary “Mehsampur,” which explores the captivating aspects of Amar Singh Chamkila’s life.

• Chamkila has been a source of inspiration for numerous renowned singers such as Diljit Dosanjh, Babbu Maan, Ranjit Bawa, Alfaaz, and many others.

• Despite singing for less than a decade before his untimely death, Chamkila’s versatile singing prowess is undeniable, as he is widely recognized as one of the most renowned Punjabi folk performers.