Ammy Virk on completing 10 years in films, “We can only plan only for a few days, it is Waahe Guru who decides everything!”
On July 31, 2025, the amiable Amninderpal Singh Virk, known to the world as Ammy Virk, celebrated a decade in his career in cinema. 35 films, endless hit songs, and a celebrity status like few people his age, for his repertoire. The grounded and voluble singer-actor attributes his innings to the Power Above when I ask him about his life and how his career has shaped up.
Excerpts from the conversation:
How do you look back at your 10 years? How much of all this was planned and what worked, did not work or happened beyond expectations?
I believe that as human beings, we can plan at the most for a few days ahead. It is all about Waahe Guru’s plan, which we don’t know! In 2014, I was on a tour of Australia and New Zealand with Amarinder Gill for our combined show. In a casual conversation, I told him, “Paaji, aap filmein kar rahe ho, if there is anything for me, please let me know.” Back home, he made me listen to a script, which was nice, and the next day I called him up. He said that he thought that I had not liked the story as I had not replied immediately! I told him, “I don’t even know what to do and how to do my role!” That was to be my debut film, Angrej, which released on July 31, 2015. And I received a lot of praise for it!
And did you make any efforts to become better as an actor after your success? Or how much of a director’s actor are you?
I do follow the director, but I am generally chosen for acting that is natural, the kind where the acting is not seen!
On the trot, you became a busy actor-singer in Punjabi movies
Yes, I have done 35 films. As I said, there was no big plan. I knew that legendary singers in Punjab later went and did films. But here I am! My mother inspired me to sing, but an average young singer dreams of starting with a jingle and retiring after work in Hollywood! Maybe I was thinking of the same thing!
You once stated that experimental films in Punjab will never work because of the limited market
Yes, because our market is around 2.5 crore people, and at best, maybe 10 lakh can be added. Comedies are big here, and in that sense pure emotional romance, action or suspense or even arty films have little scope. If you do that kind of cinema, it is all luck if you hit a four or a sixer—or not!
You could try out a few!
I have done that, paaji! My film, Qismat, was a romantic and emotional film. Sufna was another example. I also did the first sports biopic in Punjabi, Harjeeta, for which I even lost weight. Harjeet Singh is a professional field hockey player. The film did limited business but won the National Award for Best Film in Punjabi. I was working on the film 83 when the award was declared, and suddenly we were celebrating on the sets.
And 83 was your Hindi debut. How did that happen?
Pawan Gill, my friend, knew Casting Director Mukesh Chhabra, and he recommended me. There was no audition. I was called, director Kabir (Khan)-paaji met me and I asked what I had to do. I was told I had to play former Test cricketer, Balwinder Singh Sandhu. After that I did Ajay (Devgn)-paaji’s Bhuj: The Pride of India, Bad Newz that was slightly delayed, and then Khel Khel Mein.
Will we now see more of you in Hindi cinema?
Yes, I want to do more Hindi films. I am now doing another film with Khel Khel Mein director Mudassar Aziz and Taapsee Pannu. It is a comedy set in the UK.
Who are the singers who you worship?
Oh, bahut saare hain, paaji! Our folk singer Surjit Bindrakhia, Gurdas Mann, Hans Raj Hans, Satinder Kirpal, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Kishore Kumar, Jagjit Singh, Sonu Nigam, Arijit Singh…being a natural singer, I can also learn so much from them.
Are you the first in your family to become a singer?
Professionally, yes. Though my family members, especially my mother and grandmother, would sing at weddings. But as I just remarked, I am a natural singer and if you ask me who my guru is, I will always say that it is Wahe Guru!
In 2018, you also made your singing debut in Hindi with Manmarziyan in the song, ‘Dariya’.
Yes. Anurag Kashyap had heard my song ‘Qismat’ and planned to include it in the film. He told Amit Trivedi about this and Amit-paaji instead composed a lovely original song that won my co-singer Shahid Mallya and me an award!
How come you have never sung for yourself in Hindi films?
I do sing my own songs in Punjabi movies! Let us see what happens in my Hindi films to come. I am also doing Punjabi films even now.
Any plans—Wahe Guru permitting—to direct movies or do something else?
Direction to main karoonga hi, but not right now!
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