Upbeat Punjabi beat

Sheetal

Yet another fictional narrative inspired by the killing of a Punjabi artiste (Amar Singh Chamkila many years ago and most recently Sidhu Moosewala), this series is an attempt to showcase the intertwined relationship of fame, entertainment and politics. The series revolves around Kaala, played by Paramvir Cheema, who aspires to be an artiste in India after his criminal record in Canada forces him to reverse migrate to India.

Soon enough he discovers his true identity — he is the son of legendary artiste Tara Singh, who was shot down years ago along with his wife while performing on stage. From there on begins Kulwinder Singh Gill/Kaala’s dual passion to find the killers of his parents and become a star like his father.

However, the plot gets scattered at places. While some moments and dialogues win your heart, Paramvir under-delivers at others, especially while depicting Kaala’s angry and violent moments. But the lead pair of Kaala and Jazz, played by Isha Talwar, portray an electrifying chemistry.

With six episodes for the first season, the series opens at a slow pace and builds on you with each episode. It even takes time to adjust your eyes to seeing Kaala as the hero, as he only shines after two or three hours! The director has impressively painted the landscape of Chandigarh and its outskirts, and he manages to showcase an ensemble cast that augurs well for a sequel!

It becomes a re-launching vehicle for veteran names like Rakesh Bedi, Mahabir Bhullar, Navneet Nishan and Hobby Dhaliwal on an OTT platform. Akasha Singh and Mukesh Chhabra are the surprise packages and have done well.

Music is the lifeline of the series and with almost every episode titled as a song’s name, it gives you the taste of Punjab and the rich talent it possesses. Cameos by MC Square in episode one and Mika Singh in episode four are impressive, and the songs they croon are delightful. Chamak sure is a breezy one-time watch if you love Punjabi music!