With the advent of weekends, streaming platforms have brought multiple series and movies for fans to sit back a their home and enjoy. Amid a plethora of series and movies, Sony Liv's new series Chamak has been receiving positive reviews on social media from fans who have already watched it. Directed by Rohit Jugraj, Chamak was released on Sony Liv on December 7, 2023. Starring Gippy Grewal, Paramvir Singh Cheema, Isha Talwar, Akasa Singh, and more in the leading roles, the six-episode musical crime drama is now being regarded as the next big thing in terms of web series released on an OTT platform. With the storyline revolving around a Punjabi singer Kaala and the political influence in the Punjabi entertainment industry i.e. Pollywood, the question arises whether Chamak is a true story or Chamak is a real story or not.
Is Chamak a true story?
The answer is no. Chamak is a fictional story that follows the story of Kaala, a rising Punjabi singer & rapper who is fleeing a criminal past in Canada. Kaala portrayed by Paramvir Singh Cheema is the son of Gippy Grewal who plays the character of legendary singer Taara Singh. Notably, Kaala wants to unravel the truth of his father Taara Singh's murder and hence he heads to Punjab to not only enhance his Punjabi singing career but also to find out the truth about his father's murder.
Now, talking about Sony Liv's Chamak True Story, the storyline may be fictional but it is too close to reality. Yes! you heard it right. Chamak has outlined the political influence in the Punjabi entertainment industry i.e. Pollywood. Not only this, but it also hints at how gangsters' names are used for political and personal gain. Notably, Punjabi artists and gangsters' names often pop up in India and it is no more a hidden secret, especially after the infamous murder of Sidhu Moose Wala.
Not only this, but the opening scene of Chamak which shows the assassination of singer Taara Singh sends fans back to the time when famous Punjabi singer Chamkila was assassinated. Although the similarities in the name of the series and the late 'real life' singer may be a mere coincidence, it indeed takes Punjabi fans back to the time when terrorists used to target Punjabi artists.
Ironically, before the release of the series, gunmen attacked Punjabi singer Gippy Grewal's house in Canada. After the attack, gangster Lawrence Bishnoi took responsibility.
For those who are unaware, the late Punjabi singer Amar Singh Chamkila famously known as Chamkila was assassinated just moments before a scheduled performance in Mehsampur, Punjab. Although Chamak does not exactly show the Chamkila saga, it indeed takes fans back to the time. It is pertinent to mention here that a film based on Chamkila is in the pipeline in which Diljit Dosanjh & Parineeti Chopra will be seen portraying the main character. Not only this, famous filmmaker Imtiaz Ali has been making the film.