Edited by Sophia Savva
People call Harnoor Singh many things; a story teller, a singer, a photographer, a film maker, and a poet. But to me, he’ll be my childhood friend with a lively smile on his face, a camera or his notebook with doodles all over and original poetry in his hand.
Born and raised in Punjab, he currently studies Computer Science at Guru Nanak Dev Engineering College, Ludhiana, Punjab, India. Influenced by the work of his late father, Kanwaljt Singh Dhudike, Harnoor always looks up to him for inspiration for his photographs and other artworks. In grade 11, he got his hands on his father’s DSLR and started learning about photography, keeping his father’s legacy alive.
“I used to click pictures of birds and squirrels in our backyard,” Harnoor said, taking a trip down the memory lane. “After hundreds of monotonous shots I finally realised that it wasn’t about capturing moments but about expressing oneself.” Considering photography as another mode of storytelling and connecting with more people, Harnoor enhanced his photography skills over the years.
Telling me the woes of being an engineering student and also making content for his YouTube and Instagram pages, Harnoor agrees that it has always been tough juggling all these things at once. “I didn’t sit in my campus placements, even though I was eligible… there were so many people who told me to get a job instead of working on films. As an artist, it is a very difficult task to convince people to see the worth of your art.”
Harnoor quotes a religious phrase of Baba Nanak, “”Mann Tu Jot Saroop Hai Apnaa Mool Pachaan” which means our mind is a reflection of the divine, we have to recognize our own origin.”
Harnoor continues, “We cannot tell people to change their opinions, but we can easily ignore them. I love what I do, and it is all what matters in the end. I love to share what I have learned all these years. I love to share knowledge. We should all share our experiences.”
Sharing his thoughts on social media and the ever-expanding art industry, Harnoor talks of the trend of people wanting to get into the music and film industry, people who are blind to the work that goes into every project, whether big or small. “Everybody wants to be famous these days,” said Harnoor. “People want glamorous lives, they see the art industry as an entertaining and interesting field to work in, but they fail to see the hard work and dedication that is needed behind the scenes.”
“It’s sometimes very frustrating and even stressful (the work and stress) but what keeps me driving is my passion for the films. I always have that smile on my face when I see my final edit! I just want to make good films that can inspire and motivate people in their lives! looking forward to make some documentary films too,” said Harnoor.
Harnoor is among the many talented young adults in the world, working hard day and night to produce something that connects people across the globe. He wants people to recognize the sheer amount of determination and practice that goes into every project, regardless of whether it is an artwork, a poetry piece or a documentary film. He recognizes the humbleness that is required to rise to the top, as well as the courage and discipline.
Harnoor’s story resonates with the hundreds, if not thousands, of students at U of T who are multi-tasking, balancing their studies and creating beautiful art using their specific tool, whether it be camera or paintbrush. Harnoor wants to give his share of happiness with people who have seem to lost theirs, to be an idol to people who have lost faith in their dreams, and to teach others that there is no path free of obstacles and people trying to let you down. Harnoor wants struggling artists to never stop believing in their work, as he never stops trusting his art.
With dreams to work with Baljit Singh Deo, a Punjabi music videos and film director, Harnoor always finds comfort and strength in the work of his father. “Manpreet Singh Khalsa, Ankur Patar, Harp Farmer, Harnavbir Singh are some of my favourite artists! I love reading the poetry of Dr Jagtar and Avtar Singh Paash too.”
Harnoor Singh recently shot some films for local events, including stand-up comedy series and some college production events. Currently, he and his team is working on a documentary film on Punjab’s farming crisis.
Harnoor can be reached via his social media pages:
Facebook page, Tasveer Saaz.
Instagram page, Noorjit Singh
YouTube page, The Poetic Artist