Imtiaz Ali denies similarities between 'Chamkila' and 'Pyaasa'
Imtiaz Ali, the director of the recently released film Amar Singh Chamkila, has dismissed any resemblance between his film's protagonist and Guru Dutt's character in the classic movie Pyaasa. The film, which is headlined by Diljit Dosanjh and premiered on Netflix in April, has been widely praised. However, comparisons have been drawn between the song Ishq Mitaye from Chamkila and Ye Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaaye To from Pyaasa, prompting Ali to address these parallels.
Ali explained the differences between 'Chamkila' and 'Pyaasa' characters
In a conversation with News18, Ali clarified that while the music of both characters could be seen as political, their personalities are fundamentally different. He stated, "It has the feeling of, as you say, Guru Dutt, that 'yeh duniya...' but I also feel that it has positivity." "It is not 'jala do, jala do, jala do...yeh duniya', because the character of the poet in Pyaasa was different from the character of Chamkila in this film."
'He was not a whiner'
The Jab We Met director further added, "Chamkila was an all accepting man. Chamkila never criticized the world because he was also aware that the world has given him everything, so he didn't say that the world is unfair." "He took his chances, he took whatever he could get, he was very insecure for it, but he was not a complainer, he was not a whiner."
Know more about 'Amar Singh Chamkila'
Amar Singh Chamkila is a biographical film about the eponymous Punjabi folk musician, often referred to as the 'Elvis of Punjab'. His songs, which provided insights into village life and addressed social issues like drug abuse and alcoholism, resonated with many despite their controversial lyrics. Tragically, Chamkila and his wife-singer Amarjot Kaur were killed in 1988 in Mehsampur, Punjab. The film also stars Parineeti Chopra and has been well-received by critics and viewers alike.
What was 'Pyaasa' all about?
Pyaasa, by the trailblazer Dutt, told the story of a tortured poet, Vijay, who grows discontent and heartbroken due to the professional setbacks his works repeatedly receive. The film also stars Waheeda Rahman and Mala Sinha and is regularly counted among Hindi cinema's best outings. In 2022, the song Ye Dunia was referenced in the Bollywood film Chup: Revenge of the Artist, starring Dulquer Salmaan. Watch Pyaasa on Amazon Prime Video.
