Ajitpal Singh’s journey sounds more like a movie script than real life. The son of a security guard, he made his debut as a filmmaker at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival.
Ajitpal was recently in Chandigarh for a screening of his award-winning film ‘Fire In The Mountains’. He spoke openly about his struggles, hopes, and how his past has shaped his present.
Born in Punjab, Ajitpal’s life took a sharp turn after the 1984 Operation Blue Star. His family had to migrate to Gujarat, where he faced years of bias and isolation. Labeled an outsider, books became his only friends.
It took him a decade to discover his love for films. His cousin’s tragic death due to blind faith inspired the story behind his debut film. That anger, he says, finally found an outlet through storytelling.
Making the film wasn’t easy. Shot in Kumaon, the journey was long, budgets were tight, and challenges kept coming. But Ajitpal pushed on and lived to see his hard work pay off.
Just as things were looking up, he was diagnosed with cancer. After several wrong diagnoses, he finally got help just in time. He urges everyone to pay attention to their health and not ignore anything unusual.
Ajitpal’s story is one of grit, pain, and passion. And through it all, he’s just getting started.