Vida Karo — An ode to Amar Singh Chamkila

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Vida karo is a beautiful haunting lingering melody composed by A.R Rahman. Amar Singh Chamkila and Amarjit the lead hit pair of Punjab in the 80s and timeless trending musicians and singers of their time were brutally shot dead in Mehsampur on the day they were heading for an Akhada (shows)

Image Title : Reel and Real life Chamkila and Amarjot

What Vida Karo is trying to say this man his life he may be flawed maybe his lyrics and it’s pun in it’s meanings may not be everyone’s taste may not be what people like to hear or maybe it’s just a mirroring of his surroundings yet an artist no matter what he/she is trying to communicate deserves to atleast breathe, live, reflect and express freely his inner core. Threatening an artist and subjecting him to a slave of what he should and shouldn’t do on the grounds that faith and religion is insulted and must be protected and only serve what people want makes him bounded. Chamkila and his songs were something everyone secretly and openly liked to listen to he was bold fearless and was trying to expose juxtapose and show the society and their sexual desires and even their thoughts their action through his songs and storytelling in them. Are the wordings vulgar ? one might argue. But it’s a perspective that you choose. Do you see it as a play of and a tease between two central characters singing the song or do you take their words very seriously and say that this is ill intended. Whatever Chamkila did we can debate our entire life that if his lyrics were okay or not okay his choices one can be the devil of judgement here but if one just moves back a little put themselves in a third person point of view then one can see that he did everything with one simple intention : he loved to entertain people, he wanted to give people what they want to listen some light-hearted humour to perhaps say that after all these desires are present in everyone and there is no hiding from it. He says to Amarjot in the movie aage puri life bachi hai sochne ke liye

“Kya sahi hai aur kya galat”

Each artist is different as an artist I want to be mindful and to reflect of what I am expressing to see if it feels in alignment with me feels right to me and maybe I would have liked to lend the same to Chamkila but he already was aware of what he was doing. For him he only knew one thing which is to sing to entertain to express.

Is the purpose of art only to entertain or to leave a message ?

And is that the job of the art or the artist ?

We see that during the time of riots in Punjab he was singing and was rising each day — recognising that at this time what people need is entertainment people don’t want to recount or be reminded of their circumstances through anything sad. This realisation that the artist and the person enjoying the art both need each other equally is significant. The gratitude the earnestness of Chamkila to perform really shines in the song Ishq mitaaye with Diljit Dosanjh embodying Chamkila in his most quiet yet moving portrayal.

Vida karo is so much a reflection of what the society makes of of an artist — the lines are beautiful

“Tum sabhi paak magar paap ka dariya mai”

It carries such a grief a suppressed sadness — to me it felt chamkila is saying no matter what I do, I might be called words impure dirty vulgar paapi but I accept all of this in all humility. I would have loved to stay with you be among you longer had you given me a chance it was my strong desire his suppressed desire comes through this song as if chamkila is writing from heaven. With the words resounding Vida karo it feels that he is saying let go of me and free me of every grudge that you hold against me so dearly “o yaara” (o friend). There is a heavy hearted heartbreaking quality in these verses

“Meri nahi hai duniya jismei tum sab rehte ho”

With eyes closed in silence and just simply letting those thoughts come oh the smile that each word brings the deliciously charming way of words that make me go oh that’s so good that is my world that world is just so pure so so filled in emptiness yet the art completes it the ecstasy while weaving each word into a poem is beyond any feeling in this world. For an artist the art is his world his baby his romance his universe he can stay in it forever and can guard it from everyone because that is his most well guarded secret and his happy space.

The words Vida karo almost come off as request to himself and to his audience to bid him farewell, he is saying that I am with you in the music let me go see me go detach me from your life and let my legacy be remembered in peace. Let my records be played and let there be thumping in your dance almost as if void of any pain. Let my spirit let my essence become so soft and light like the mustard seeds beaming of light in the fields of Panjab and the breeze taking away all my stresses with it, all my misdoings with it.

He says in the end “meine jaana hai us paar” saying to the world that I need to open that gate of higher power that is calling me

Let my soul pass to that side of infinite and forgiving compassionate realm for that is the true reality

A heartfelt gratitude to the entire team of Chamkila movie

You can watch Amar Singh Chamkila now streaming on Netflix :)

Thank you for reading :)

Image Source : https://www.gqindia.com/content/amar-singh-chamkila-know-the-real-life-story-of-the-iconic-punjabi-singer-portrayed-by-diljit-dosanjh