Neither Ayushmann Khurrana nor Kartik Aaryan signed yet for Amar Singh Chamkila biopic

There have been recent news reports claiming that Imtiaz Ali will be producing a film based on the life of the late rebellious Punjabi folk singer Amar Singh Chamkila. Reports also suggested that the makers were considering Ayushmann Khurrana or Kartik Aaryan to play the titular role. 

However, Ali’s banner Window Seat Films, LLP has denied any such development in the project. “There is some news in the media about our film based on the life of Punjabi folk singer Late Shri Amar Singh Chamkila. Currently, we are in the process of writing and developing the project [after] having done the due legal diligence on it. We will engage in a discussion on the appropriate casting, attaching a director and other talents to the project, in due course, once the scripting is complete,” said an official statement from the banner. 

Chamkila was a radical Punjabi singer who sang on issues like patriarchy, sex, drug abuse, extra-marital affairs, etc, back in the 1980s. His bold views often dragged him into controversy. He was also known as the Elvis Presley of Punjab. He and his wife were gunned down in 1988. 

This won’t be the first film on Chamkila's life. A docu-fiction film on his life titled Mehsampur was made by director Kabir Singh Chowdhry which was screened at 20th Mumbai Film Festival last year.