He has entered the big league with his maiden film, Anhey Ghorey Da Daan (Alms of the Blind Horse). Besides winning two National Awards (Best Cinematographer, Best Director), first-time director Gurvindar Singh’s film has also won the Special Jury Mention at the 5th Abu Dhabi Film Festival. Singh feels it augurs well for Punjabi cinema. “It’s an encouragement for Punjabi filmmakers. I am thrilled with the kind of response my movie has received at both national and international levels,” he says.
Gurvindar studied filmmaking at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII). Produced by National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), the film is based on Punjabi novelist Gurdial Singh’s book. The book highlights Punjab’s Dalit crisis while drawing attention to the issue of landless farm labour. “It underlines NFDC’s belief in and commitment to promote new talent in all languages,” says Nina Lath Gupta, MD of NFDC. —HTC