He may be giving finishing touches to Aaj Kal, but another subject has already caught the attention of Imtiaz Ali. mid-day has learnt that the filmmaker, in a joint venture with Reliance Entertainment, has acquired the rights to make a film on popular Punjabi folk singer, the late Amar Singh Chamkila. Often referred to as the Elvis of Punjab, Chamkila rose to fame in the '80s with his songs that spoke of extra-marital relationships, drug abuse and the patriarchal mindset of Punjabi men, thus reflecting the realities of life in the state. His songs made him as much a controversial figure as they earned him overnight fame.

Imtiaz Ali and Amar Singh Chamkila