It was exactly two years ago when the euphoria of 'Naatu Naatu' had consumed the West. It almost felt like a scene out of RRR where foreigners were asking each other 'What's Naatu?' yet, dancing to it like they were at a single screen theatre in Hyderabad. The music became bigger than the film and Indian cinema, which proudly boasts about its song and dance culture, had its moment on the global stage. Now, in 2025, India can have its moment again with Payal Kapadia's All We Imagine As Light. But, while the audience and so-called cinema experts were debating if Laapataa Ladies was the right choice for the Oscars, no one really discussed if Diljit Dosanjh-starrer Amar Singh Chamkila had the potential to be the film that represents India, and this was perhaps a missed opportunity. The excitement of watching 'Naatu Naatu' on the Oscar stage was enough for us to get up at an ungodly hour so imagine the anticipation if Diljit were to perform there. 2024 was undoubtedly the year of Diljit Dosanjh on a global scale. His moment in the international arena started with Coachella in 2023 and continued with his Dilluminati tour in 2024. He sold over 7 lakh tickets around the world and resellers in North America even sold his show's ticket at a staggering Rs 54 lakh. His shows in India saw people spending abundant money to watch him live in action, and most of them had an unforgettable experience. Diljit knows how to hypnotise a stadium full of fans so they cheer for him, and with him, but he also knows how to sprinkle some magic when he is on screen and that's what he did with Amar Singh Chamkila. Diljit's performance in Amar Singh Chamkila was one of the most mesmerising movie-watching experiences of 2024. And if one were to package this film for an international audience, it had everything going for it. The story of a real-life musician from rural India who survived casteism, riots and communal tension, and managed to achieve the status of Punjab's Elvis Presley only to be shot by unknown assailants at the age of 27. The story presented by Imtiaz Ali was unlike any conventional biopics that we have seen in mainstream movies and the musical style of the film took it a notch higher than a regular song and dance film. It was the kind of desi experience that shows the culture of India but doesn't brush the uncomfortable truths under the carpet. The volatile era of the 1980s, the social injustice, and even the hypocrisy of the society; everything finds a place in this musical. ALSO READ | Biopic ‘Amar Singh Chamkila’: Meet the ‘Elvis of Punjab’, who was killed at the age of 27 Amar Singh Chamkila was a Netflix product, which means that the film could have had international representation by a company that is known for its deep pockets, and has a history of pushing non-English content onto the global platforms. A month after this film's release, Netflix tried to push Heeramandi as the next big thing from India as they hosted its premiere in Los Angeles. A couple of months after the film's release, Diljit was touring in the US, where he also performed on Jimmy Fallon's late-night show, which was another historic moment for an Indian artiste. While he was there for his tour, one wonders why Netflix did not seize the opportunity to build him up as a global triple threat who can actually sell packed stadiums. Moreover, they also had AR Rahman on board for this film, who has previously won an Oscar, so they could have positioned it as an Indian musical experience. It is somewhat shocking that Amar Singh Chamkila wasn't even on the list of 29 films submitted to the Film Federation of India which finally selects the Indian submission for Oscars. This was the pool that had films like Animal, Kalki 2898 AD and even Chota Bheem And The Curse Of Damyaan, but Amar Singh Chamkila was missing here. Of course, one of the criteria for eligibility for Academy Awards is that the film must have a theatrical release for a week, which wasn't the case here; but the makers could have made it happen if they positioned the film as a contender for Oscars. If, like Payal Kapadia's film, this was snubbed by the FFI, they could have still been in the competition independently. ALSO READ | Diljit Dosanjh’s untold story: Son of a Punjab Roadways driver who cut his first album at 16; brought Punjab to Coachella and the world In an interview with Film Companion, while promoting Amar Singh Chamkila, Diljit came across as a humble artiste who surrenders himself to his director and doesn't have an explanation for his process. He implied that he couldn't write a thesis explaining his preparation for the role, but he could perform with utmost sincerity. He also said that he doesn't see himself as an actor, but as a musician, and this was perhaps something that pushed him to play Chamkila in a way that it doesn't even feel like one is watching a performance. Diljit, and his fans, had a wonderful 2024 and if he was the artiste who was on the Oscars stage representing India, it would have been a cherry on the cake. Perhaps, that's next on his list!
