Kamlesh Kunti Singh

Kamlesh Kunti Singh (born 11th July 1969 - 12th October 2021) is an Indian screenwriter, director, and short-story writer. He has scripted award-winning movies like Jhalki – Ek Aur Bachpan (2019) and Phir Kabhi (2010). For Jhalki, he was awarded the Best Original Screenplay at Boston International Film Festival and the Best Screenplay at Los Angeles International Independent Film Awards (IIFA). For Phir Kabhi, he received the Best Screenplay at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival|Los Angeles Reel Film Festival.
Also, he has written for popular television shows such as Ghar Ek Mandir, Kumkum – Ek Pyara Sa Bandhan, Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi, Sindoor Tere Naam Ka, Kalash, Kammal, 12/24 Karolbagh, among many others. He conceived the concept and scripted the initial episodes of Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo.
== Early life ==
Kamlesh was born on 11th July 1969 in Jamshedpur to Smt. Kunti Devi and Shri Manager Singh and grew up in Calcutta (present-day Kolkata). However, his ancestral roots are in Aruwan, an agricultural village in the Siwan district of Bihar. 
His father was a Customs Officer to whom he accredits his kinship with his Bihari roots that served him as the cornerstones of aesthetics. There had not been a single vacation that his father did not take him to Aruwan, where he was nurtured by the folk lores his grandmother, Lakhpati Devi, told him. His uncles, Sewak Singh, Tega Singh, Thana Singh, Hridya Singh, and Bikarma Singh, fostered his sense of story-telling through their experiences with the world and taught him the nitty-gritty of farming and cattle-raising. His cousin, Rajkishore Singh, developed cooking skills in him, while another cousin, Vakil Singh, a teacher, strengthened his Hindi grammar. That apart, his maternal uncle, Raghunandan Sinha, discovered for him the knack of opening windows to the beyond.
Of everybody, his mother's contribution was the most valuable one. Had she not braved against the challenges a Bihari housewife faces and waded through Calcutta's flooded roads during monsoons to reach him to school, he wouldn't have ever received an education. His mother, according to him, brought him up on the adages of Bhojpuri that are full of wisdom. He has two elder sisters, Kanti Singh and Kamini Singh.
== Education ==
Kamlesh attended Kolkata)|St. James’ School of Calcutta till I.C.S.E. He was an excellent elocutionist as well as a debater in his schooldays. He wrote and directed plays for Cultural programs and also participated in the inter-school play competitions held by the British Council. His Principal, John Mason, encouraged him to pursue a career in the creative field.
He graduated with upper second-class honours from Calcutta University.
During his college days, he joined an active Theatre Group, Rangakarmee, run at the behest of Usha Ganguli where he acted in plays like Lok-katha, Mahabhoj and Holi.
== Career ==
Kamlesh was an assistant director and an in-house writer in Sonex, a production house under Jochchhon Dastidar, the Father of Bangla Television Serials and a devout theatre personality. It was here that he learned the art of screenwriting and direction. He hails Jochchhon Dastidar as his Guru, who introduced him to Bangla Literature.
After few years, he decided to go to Mumbai, where he joined Tracinema, a production house under Raman Kumar and Vinta Nanda. He was an assistant writer to Vinta Nanda in serials like Tara, Deewar, and Saturday Suspense. And also Kabhie Kabhie, which was directed by Mahesh Bhatt. Later, he joined Ansh Theatre Group, run by Makrand Deshpande, and acted in a full-length play, Umar Qaid Shanti Barot, and a street play.
He then joined Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Telefilms, where he wrote screenplays and dialogues for various serials. 
Later, he wrote the film Phir Kabhi, with Mithun Chakraborty and Dimple Kapadia playing the lead pair. Pradeep Guha of Culture Company and UTV produced the film, and National Award Winner V. K. Prakash directed it. He was also the Chief Associate Director in the movie. It fetched him the Best Screenplay Award jointly with the co-writer M. Sindhuraj.
His debut as a director in a feature film was with Saare Char in Bangla language, based on a story by him, also the screenplay. He has written Bangla Feature Films like Bidhatar Lekha and Hullor.
He has also written and directed a short movie, The Hundred Rupees Photo, that made appreciable rounds in a few film festivals and produced by Pradeep Guha of Culture Company.
He went ahead scripting the movie, Jhalki, directed by National Award Winner Brahmanand S. Singh. He received the Best Original Screenplay Award at the Boston International Film Festival and the Best Screenplay at Los Angeles International Independent Film Awards (LAIIF) jointly with co-writers Tanvi Jain and Brahmanand S. Singh.
== Awards ==
Year	Award(s) 	Movie
2010	Los Angeles Reel Film Festival for Best Screenplay 	Phir Kabhi
2019	Boston International Film Festival for Best Original Screenplay 	Jhalki
2019	Los Angeles International Independent Film Awards (LAIIF) for Best Screenplay	Jhalki
Category:Indian people
Category:Indian directors
Category:Indian writers