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Dhaval Jajal

@dhavaljajal

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Outdoor & Adventure Filmmaker | Cinematographer
AOD Member
Building @expedition_eye_films

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Why this film

“Hold On” is a climbing film I had been sitting with for months. Not just as an idea, but as a feeling I couldn’t quite shake off.

This film is about rock climbers, what pulls them back to the wall, what keeps them there when things don’t go their way. It’s about failure, persistence, and that quiet, stubborn act of holding on.

Zonal and the Grey Chair

At the heart of the film is @zonal__r_k and his long-standing relationship with a route called Grey Chair.
This wasn’t just another climb for him. It was unfinished business.

I wanted to capture his journey to explore something deeper: how a route can get into your head, how it starts shaping your thoughts, your approach, even your sense of self. You’ll see him struggle, recalibrate, and eventually find his way.

Two days in Badami

We had just two days to bring this to life. We chose Badami, one of India’s most iconic climbing destinations, but the route itself was tucked away deep inside, away from the dramatic golden-hour light that filmmakers often rely on.

Shooting while climbing

Filming a climbing sequence is a different kind of challenge altogether.

You’re not just behind the camera, you’re part of the environment. Suspended 90 feet above the ground, constantly adjusting your body, your balance, your frame… It’s physically demanding in ways I hadn’t fully anticipated.

No amount of planning quite prepares you for that.

There’s a certain vulnerability in that space. You’re focused on safety, on movement, on getting the shot, all at once. And yet, in between all that, there are moments of stillness where everything just aligns. Those are the moments you chase.

This film is my first attempt at understanding that world.

There’s a lot I’m still learning. But that’s also what made this process exciting. It forced me to listen more, observe closely, and trust the story as it unfolded in front of me.

“Hold On” isn’t a perfect film. But it’s an honest one.

And for me, this feels like the start of exploring climbing stories more deeply.

A big thank you to @ravi and @kysii_walter for helping me prepare to shoot on the wall.

#sonyalpha #createwithsony by @dhavaljajal

No electricity. No cozy beds. Just biting cold, aching legs, and endless climbs. Yet, we keep going back. Again and again. Why?

Becoming Me is a short film about this very question—why do we seek the wilderness despite its hardships? The answer lies in what we shed along the way. Out here, the layers of the world fall away—no distractions, no pretenses. Just you and the mountains. And in that rawness, you find who you truly are.

Step into the wilderness, and maybe you’ll find your own answer.

Special thanks to @indiahikes and the Karchi and Dehradun teams for their incredible support on and off the field. And also @nikumindian for all the help and the guidance.

@expedition_eye_films

Featuring: @bharatu_nk_negi
Voiceover: Ayush Agrawal @ayuspeaks_studio
Filmed on: Sony A6700 @sonyalphain @profilmmakingbysony_india @sonyalpha
& DJI Mini 4 Pro @djiindia.official @djiglobal

#createwithsony
#sonyalphain
#sonyalpha
#filmwithsony
#djiglobal
#djiindiaofficial
#BecomingMe
#WhyWeTrek
#IntoTheWild
#filmmkrs by @dhavaljajal

Colour, Inspired by Nature
@decathlonsportsindia

As I was going through the photographs from the High Test 2026 project, I noticed something interesting. Every piece of gear seemed to belong to the landscape around it. Not because it was placed there, but because its colours already existed in nature.

These slides are a small celebration of that connection - where gear and landscape mirror each other, inspired by the same palette.

High Test 2026 was all about putting outdoor gear through real conditions, across trails, mountains, forests and changing weather. And somewhere along the way, these little visual pairings appeared :)

@goku_onthego
@itskartikwithatik
@travelquestwith_jariwala
@shamil.mohmed
@sreekanthsu by @dhavaljajal

This is my first climbing film. A short 1 min film.
I came into it with curiosity, a little to no climbing experience, and a deep respect for the people who do this every day.

“Hold On” became my attempt to explore the story of @zonal__r_k and his long-pending climb of the Grey Chair in Badami. It is about failure, persistence, and slowly finding a way.

We had just two days to shoot this film. Most of the route stayed hidden from the dramatic golden light filmmakers usually chase, so we worked with whatever the rock gave us. Soft light, harsh shadows, changing moods, and a lot of improvisation.

Shooting while hanging 90 feet above the ground was physically exhausting and, honestly, a little intimidating at times. But somewhere between the stress, the silence, and the movement on the wall, the film slowly started revealing itself.

A big thank you to @ind_ravi and @kysii_walter for helping me prepare and making me feel comfortable while shooting on the wall.

These are a few stills from the film before it releases in the next few days.

Hold on. It’s coming soon ;) by @dhavaljajal

Dhaval Jajal, season 1 winner is here to answer your most asked questions and share pro tips to help you get started!

Don’t miss your chance 1 Minute of Magic is live, submit entries before 9th May!
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[SonyAlpha, FilmmakersOfIndia, SonyFX3, SonyFX2, VisualStorytelling, StudentFilmmaker] by @dhavaljajal

More mountains.
More miles.
More moments that make me feel alive.

More of this in 2026. 🏔️✨
@expedition_eye_films by @dhavaljajal

On the Kuari Pass ridge, above the tree line.
The mountains look half asleep under the clouds, and yet, everything feels majestic.

@expedition_eye_films @bharatu_nk_negi @indiahikes by @dhavaljajal

Flying over Rupin Valley. Vast, raw, humbling 🏔

Collaboration with @visionspringfoundation @indiahikes by @dhavaljajal

ClearVision Trek, Himalayas - the project aligned closely with both my professional and personal journey.

Over days, I travelled through remote villages of Shimla and Kinnaur, following the VisionSpring team from outreach camps to the high trails of Rupin Pass. Villages where access to even the most basic medical care is scarce. Where a simple eye check-up can mean the difference between dependence and dignity.

As someone with a background in medicine, and having spent three years in the Himalayas as a trek leader with Indiahikes, I know these realities closely. I’ve seen how fragile healthcare access is in these regions. So watching people regain clear vision - some for the first time in years - wasn’t just moving, it was deeply personal.

This film was about more than glasses.
It was about livelihoods restored, confidence returned, and lives quietly transformed.

To document this journey - across villages, camps, and mountains - was a privilege. Collaborating with @visionspringfoundation, alongside @redbusindia @indiahikes @who @nationalvision_optometry and Himachal Pradesh Government, showed me what’s possible when intent, empathy, and action come together.

I’m sharing a few frames from the journey - some of my favourite moments from the project. by @dhavaljajal

These mountains have held my cold mornings, my heavy breaths, and my happiest silences. Grateful for the Himalayas today and always.

#internationalmountainday by @dhavaljajal

For the past few days, I’ve been deep into a project that has taken me to one of the most fascinating corners of our country - Kanha National Park. My work often takes me to interesting places, but this one felt special. Filming with the incredible team @natureguides_academy for their Professional Safari Guide Course was an experience that stayed with me.

What struck me most was the way these naturalists see the forest - noticing things I would have walked past a hundred times. Their knowledge, curiosity, and respect for nature reminded me why this field is growing so beautifully in India. It’s a privilege to document such work.

Sharing a few of my favorite frames from the film. The full video will be out soon - a small window into the passion and professionalism shaping the future of nature guiding in our country.

www.expeditioneyefilms.com

@kaadupapa @junglecentric @kabini_narayana @shreenidhikj @expedition_eye_films by @dhavaljajal