This song and the album of the upcoming movie Amar Singh Chamkila brings back the awesome foursome of music composer AR Rahman, director Imtiaz Ali, lyricist Irshad Kamil and singer Mohit Chauhan, after nearly a decade since their last collaboration in Tamasha (2015) and Highway (2014).
It also brings back Rahman’s surprising flourish in Punjabi – like the Patakha Guddi song in Highway sung by the Nooran Sisters, and a version of the same in Punjabi by the Oscar-winning composer. It was a surprise for many to see a man, who redefined the south Indian music industry, to have such finesse in composing and even singing Punjabi numbers.
This time, it is Mohit Chauhan singing the highlight Punjabi number, Ishq Mitaye, on Rahman’s tunes. The song captures the rise and times of Chamkila, one of Punjab’s most successful singers.
Right from Irshad Kamil’s lyrics to the liberal use of Chamkila’s masterful instrument, the tumbi, the real-life settings of a Punjab village and the 1980s’ feel captured by Imtiaz Ali, along with Diljit’s portrayal of the charismatic singer – the song captures the flavour of Punjab.
The song has more than 18 million hits on YouTube ahead of the movie’s release on Netflix on April 12. Chamkila’s albums are said to be the highest-selling Punjabi albums of all time. He died at the age of 28.
‘Ishq Mitaye’ resembles Chamkila’s life
Rahman’s song effectively captures Chamkila’s life, which abruptly ended in murder in 1988 amid the rise of separatism in Punjab. Chauhan hits uncharacteristically high notes as he sings Kamil’s words of how he is a lover (ishqayi) and love is destroying him like it has made him (ishq mitaye hai hai, ni maye mera ishq banaye hai hai). It goes on to say how his beloved returned all his favours, and each and every penny (mod gaya pai pai, ni mahi mera mod gaya pai pai).
The next verse describes how Chamkila says the fire in him stays alive as well as the blood in his veins, and how he became perfect after a long struggle and has rhythm all over in his body now (jeeve agg meri, saara jal mera jeeve, aag se khel ke nikhra lish lish, chamka mein jeve dunak dhun meri).
Diljit replicates Chamkila’s trademark move of raising his tumbi in the air as Chauhan sings the uplifting lines Main hun Punjab, which are the highlight of the song. Ali in a trailer release event for the movie earlier had described Diljit as the ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’ of today, causing the artiste to break down on stage.
Chamkila was also one who was proud of his work, though many castigated him for his so-called vulgar songs that became a rage. But, they also may have ultimately become the reason he was killed. This is reflected in the concluding verse of the song – Mere aage duniya ka rang saara phika, apne lahu se hi lagaya maine tika, das kyun daran, pakkiyan jadan… jaane kiski mehar, chadhi rehti lahar, kaise jaun main thahar (in front of me, the world is weak, why should I fear anyone, I am on the rise due to the blessings of the unknown, why should I stop).
The movie relives the life of Punjab’s most successful singer, with Diljit – one of the biggest faces and voices in the industry now – playing the titular role. Adding to this, Rahman has provided the Punjabi master-touch that makes the lead song live up to the hype.
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