Mockumentary on the Life of Amar Singh Chamkila to Compete in India Gold Competition

Director Kabir Singh Chowdhry's Mehsampur - a fascinating Punjabi meta-fiction mockumentary will have its India Premiere at the 20th Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival With Star.

Produced by DARK MATTER Pictures, Crawling Angel Films and ASR Films and co-produced by Bohra Bros Pvt Ltd, the film which has been selected for the prestigious India Gold competition category at the festival is based on the tragic true story of the late famous Punjabi singer-composer Amar Singh Chamkila and his wife Amarjot. The duo was shot dead by militants in 1988 in Mehsampur prior to a performance.

Mehsampur is an interesting amalgamation of biopic and documentary style of filmmaking that merges facts and fiction to tell the story of Devrath - a filmmaker who arrives in Punjab to research on the iconic duo of Amar Singh Chamkila and Amarjot. In the process, he drives a fading musician and a disturbed actress to the edge. The trailer of the film was launched today.

The film has been written by Akshay Singh and is produced by him along with Kabir Singh Chowdhry, Sanjay Gulati and Ajit Singh Rathod. The film has been co-produced by Sunil Bohra.

India Premiere of the film will be attended by Lal Chand and Kesar Singh Tikki - the two associates of the late Amar Singh Chamkila. Incidentally, Lal Chand was playing the Dholak on the stage at Mehsampur when Amar Singh Chamkila was shot dead and he is the only SURVIVOR of the tragic incident.

Mehsampur had its World Premiere at the Sydney Film Festival 2018 and has been an Official Selection at the London Indian Film Festival and Melbourne Indian Film Festival 2018. The film was also in the Work in Progress section at the Docs Against Gravity Festival 2018.

The film also featured in the 32 films that were selected for Film Bazaar Recommends section at 2016 edition of the NFDC Film Bazaar.

Kabir Singh Chowdhry, the director of Mehsampur says, "I am truly delighted that the film has been chosen for the India Gold section at Mami. This is a festival I have attended regularly and have been inspired by. To be selected for the Jio MAMI Mumbai Film Festival and to finally show the film to audiences in India is indeed an honour. This is a special and precious moment for me."

Sanjay Gulati, the producer of Mehsampur says, "I was lucky to have met the outstanding duo of director Kabir Singh Chowdhry and writer Akshay Singh at the NFDC Film Bazaar 2016. The film was shot already by then and they were looking for partners. And that's how I came on board. I feel honored to have adopted this intelligent child post its birth and be a part of its journey.

Mehsampur has used the cinematic language in a way not many Indian films in the past had ever used. And I am eagerly looking forward to the audience's reaction at MAMI."

Ajit Singh Rathod, the producer of Mehsampur says, "I have been part of experimental films made in last 10 years, so when I started out with my production house and came across Mehsampur and the DARK MATTER team, it was like coming home. I loved the people and the edit and I think it was in our destiny to be part of the film. I am looking forward to the film's India Premiere at MAMI, it's like a match on our home ground and that makes it a very special occasion for us all."

Akshay Singh, the writer and producer of Mehsampur says, "For Mehsampur to compete in the India Gold section of MAMI is both joyous and nerve-wracking, for cinema-geeks attend the festival. I hope the film brings the same exhilaration to audiences that we had while making it. It's an honour to have the film's India premiere at MAMI."

Sunil Bohra, the co-producer of Mehsampur says, "The reason I got associated with this film is due to director Kabir Singh Chowdhry. I had been wanting to work with him since long, but things didn't fall in place. I was very keen to have my company associated with this film and I am glad that it is finally happening. I am sure that the film will be a milestone for us and everybody else who is associated with this project."

Watch a trailer here: