“IN RUSSIA, HIS POPULARITY WAS SECOND ONLY TO RAJ KAPOOR.”
Born in Lahore before the flames of partition reshaped the subcontinent, S. Harbhajan Singh inherited more than a legacy of resilience—he inherited a passion for truth. His father, S. Durlab Singh, was both a freedom fighter and a respected journalist.
In 1947, the family moved to Delhi, but the ink in young Harbhajan’s veins stayed. As the eldest sibling, Harbhajan Singh naturally assumed responsibility early in life. He followed in his father’s footsteps and built a powerful career in journalism—spanning politics, cinema, and international diplomacy. Harbhajan Singh became a pivotal figure in Indo Russian media relations.
As president of the Indo-Russian Journalist Association, he helped build a cultural and cinematic dialogue between the two nations that outlived the Cold War. His magazine, Film Mirror, became a beloved publication in the Soviet Union, where Indian films were celebrated with unmatched enthusiasm.
Thanks to this popularity, Harbhajan was a regular guest at international film festivals, especially in Moscow and Tashkent, where his presence generated crowds and curiosity.
THE MAN WHO COULD HAVE BEEN A MOVIE STAR
It wasn’t just in Russia that he was mistaken for royalty. On a visit to Sanremo, Italy, in the late 1970s, his regal turban, silk Jodhpur outfit, and charismatic presence sparked a frenzy in the small hillside town. “Sanremo has probably never seen a Sikh with a beard and turban. I drew the largest crowds wherever I went,” he wrote in the May 1979 issue of Film Mirror. In fact, an Italian filmmaker—Jacie Kalatian, head of Jackal Films— offered him a lead role in a biopic on Maharaja Dalip Singh, long before The Black Prince was ever conceived Another proposed project was titled The Guru Connections, to be shot in India.
Despite the glamour of the offer, Harbhajan Singh chose not to sign the contract. “The terms were fabulous, but I couldn’t walk away from my work back home.”
A JOURNALIST FIRST, ALWAYS
Although Film Mirror eventually shut down in the 1980s due to his deepening focus on political journalism, Harbhajan remained an influential voice in Delhi’s media circles. His relationships with film stars, political leaders, and international delegates remained intact till his passing in 2006 at the age of 68.
Such was the impact of his work that condolences poured in from across the nation, including from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, and Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit. In the end, S. Harbhajan Singh wasn’t just a journalist. He was a cultural ambassador, a chronicler of cinema, and a man who wore many hats—but always kept his turban on straight
“HE COULD’VE BEEN A STAR IN MILAN, BUT CHOSE TO REMAIN THE VOICE OF INDIA INSTEAD.”
