The superhit track “Kala Chashma,” starring Sidharth Malhotra and Katrina Kaif, took the world by storm. This song, which remains a favorite party number, echoed in every nook and corner of the world. Although the version of the movie Baar Baar Dekho is not original, let’s explore how it made its way from a chowk (road corner) to the cinema.
Did you know that “Kala Chashma” was written by a police constable standing at a chowk? Let’s dive into this incredible backstory.
To trace back its origin, the song was penned by Amrik Singh Shera, a head constable in the Punjab police force when he was just 15 years old. Amrik’s intention behind writing such songs was to gain recognition in his home state of Punjab and make his village proud.
Originally from Talwandi Chaudhrian village near Jalandhar, Amrik wrote this peppy number in 1990. He revealed that he received Rs 11,000 after signing an agreement with a Mumbai-based company because they needed his song to be played at the inauguration of a cement firm. However, he was unaware that the song would feature in a movie.
During his 2016 interview with Hindustan Times, Amrik further added how the song found its place in the Punjabi music industry. “Amar Arshi (singer of the song) then took the song ‘Kala Chashma’ and performed it at a function in England. A company there released the song in England and it became a huge hit. Then a Chandigarh-based company released the song in Punjab, and that’s how it gained popularity here,” Amrik said.
How Amrik Came Up With Kala Chasma: The Story Behind The Superhit Song
Amrik revealed that he wrote the song when he was in ninth grade. At the age of 15, he first came to Chandigarh. And, while standing at a chowk in Chandigarh, he saw a beautiful lady wearing black shades. Her charisma inspired the words that we now dance madly to. Though Amrik reached out to many singers with his songs at that age, but, unfortunately, no one accepted.
His sole intention in writing such songs was to gain fame in his home state of Punjab and make his village proud.
In his interview, he further added, “I started writing songs because I wanted to become famous in my village. That dream has come true. But I wanted to make my village famous too, which could have been possible only if the makers had invited me. Hardly anyone even in Punjab knows that it’s my song. If you listen to ‘Kala Chashma’ carefully, in the last stanza I have mentioned my village Talwandi Chaudhrian’s name.”
Apart from “Kala Chashma,” several of Amrik’s songs have also been sung by artists like Miss Pooja and Roshan Prince. However, he believes that real fame comes when a song enters Bollywood and captivates people. He also emphasized that Punjabi songwriters often do not receive their due recognition, and being a writer in the industry is not easy.
Last year, the song Kala Chasma went viral across Europe, Australia, the US, Canada, and other parts of the world when Quick Style, a hip-hop/urban dance group from Norway posted a dance video while performing on the song. In no time, the song Kala Chasma became TikTok’s viral trend.
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Though the song earned international acclaim, it is quite unfortunate that Amrik is still waiting for his due recognition. Isn’t it? What do you think? Tell us in the comments below.
