There are times in your life when your own proclivities and longings put you in a different space altogether. In these situations, if you are hell-bent with your instinct, you might find yourself running a race with no competitors, which at times can be more tough than running it with competitors. One individual who is in the midst of such a race is Tarnvir Singh Jagpal.

Having co-directed 'Rabb Da Radio' and directed 'Daana Paani', Tarnvir Jagpal is up there when it comes to delivering quality movies that a section of the society yearns for. These are the movies which seldom have outright comic sequences, out-of-the-box action scenes or catchy promotional tracks. On the contrary, they are high on our culture and comprise of divine and noble values. However, there is a darker side to this overall picture as the section of the society which yearns for such movies falls in what is called the minority group.

A producer, an entity without which no movie is complete, also opposes this genre of film-making for it doesn't meet his commercialised and money-digging demands. Perhaps, it is the reason why Tarnvir Jagpal co-produced Daana Paani.

In an exclusive interview with Punjabi Mania, Tarnvir Jagpal, a fan of Late Guru Dutt, threw light on his whole journey so far, what goes behind making such highbrow and deeply-felt movies, working with a star like Jimmy Sheirgill and his upcoming projects. He said, "As a student of animation and graphics, I always aspired to work in movies. God has been very kind in taking me from my village to this point where I am directing movies."

"I started my career as a Chief Assistant Director under Navaniat Singh almost a decade ago. From my time in Mumbai, I had thought that whenever my chance will come, I will not make this type of cinema. Notwithstanding the consequences, I was sure that I will make movies on subjects which I feel are closer to my heart and god.", he added.

On being asked about his vision behind making movies

"If someone is spending three hours of his/her precious time watching my movie, I want he/she to gain much more than merely sitting in the AC and dissolving into laughter. He/she should pick some things from my movie which come as a novelty factor. If a child watches my movie, he should feel proud that he belongs to the Punjabi cinema and our Indian culture, values and families."

"The sole purpose of making Rabb Da Radio was that one should always listen to his heart. We are not machines that we need to programmed by our brain in a certain way. God has given the humans a smart organ in the form of heart which catches direct signals from the almighty. It is as simple as that. My main message behind Daana Paani was that one should surrender his life to the almighty in difficult times. Whatever has been written in your fortune will happen when the right time comes. God will eventually sort out things for you."

On being asked about the sources of the serious and divine elements in his movies

"The biggest source behind all this is the almighty. Nothing else. I always look up to god for the crucial decisions of my life. Currently, I have a few things lined up. I am just waiting for a signal form the above."

On being asked about the perils of making movies in this genre

"All I know is that people who prefer this genre of movies belong to a different class. Deep down, I know that I am making worthwhile movies. I am also aware that these movies can cause us financial deprivation."

On being asked about the target audiences of his movies

"People ask me as to how this genre of movies will aid in lifting the level of the Punjabi film industry. My simple answer to them is that you can watch these movies with all your family members at any stage of your life without giving a second thought. One thing which I tell them and it often offends them is the fact that if you plan to watch these movies with your significant other, then you might not like it. If you plan to watch it after bunking your college and roaming around with friends just for the sake of it, then you might not like it. All I know is that people who have the right thinking will surely like my movies."

On working with writer Jas Grewal

"Story is a facet of film-making through which I can send my views across with the help of my characters. Me and Jas bai are very good friends. We have been together for a long time now. Whatever I have in my heart, I can easily convey it to him which helps him in writing the appropriate script for me. He understands me very well. We work together on every concept. He is very blessed. According to me, he is one of the best writers in our industry. He is always my first priority when it comes to a writer.

On being asked if there was any pressure before directing Jimmy Sheirgill

"It is always a big responsibility when you have to direct someone of his stature. That said, it became very easy for me because he supported me day in and day out. He understood the script very well. A sensitive and sensible actor like him was a necessity for Daana Paani. There was less pressure on me because he delivered according to what we wanted. I believe that he was the apt choice for the role of Mehtab Singh."

However, everything was not cheery for the young director. Someone who has it in him to direct more pieces of brilliance is also partially concerned about the excessive baggage on a director to meet a producer's commercial expectations. "If ever a break is applied on my career, do understand that I have parted ways with the thinking of certain producers. I can't and won't direct movies for the likes of others who are merely concerned about the financial aspect of a movie.", he added.

One interesting information which we would like to share with you all is that the official announcement of his next movie will be made very soon. As was the case with his first two movies, we can expect this one to be another feather in his cap. Here is wishing Tarnvir Singh Jagpal all the very best for all his upcoming projects!