I recently rewatched Rocket Singh: Salesman of the Year, a heartwarming movie about a young, idealistic salesman who refuses to compromise on ethics. The protagonist’s journey from being ridiculed by colleagues to building a successful ethical business is the kind of story that warms your heart and makes you wonder: Do such people still exist?

Let’s be honest—people who work with ethics and principles are endangered, especially in today’s “grow fast, no matter how” world. A meteor of shortcuts and quick wins has struck the professional landscape, leaving ethical practices gasping for air. But I’ve seen such rare individuals. They work hard, often unnoticed, and contribute immensely to their companies. Yet, like dodos, they seem to be on the verge of extinction.

As an entrepreneur, I relate deeply to Rocket Singh’s journey. When I started my business in 2013, armed with zero experience and a lot of enthusiasm, people laughed. Some outright scoffed. Others gave me that “Oh, how cute, you think you’ll

 succeed” smile. That was fine. Challenges fuel me. As they say, “If people are doubting how far you can go, go so far that you can’t hear them anymore.”

My first project came from a friend who trusted me, offering it at a rate so low that it could barely cover coffee expenses. I accepted it gleefully. Why? Because it was a beginning. Soon after, I met someone who became my guide, taking a chance on me despite knowing little about me. Together, we started climbing the mountain of entrepreneurship—me puffing and panting, him pointing the way to the summit.

And then came my team, my HDPL heroes. If life were a Bollywood film, they’d have their montage sequence with inspirational music playing in the background. They stood by me through chaos, mistakes, and deadlines that could turn even the sanest person into a sleep-deprived zombie. I often tell people that I’m just the front end of the operation—thevisible part. My team? They’re the backend processors doing the actual work. Without them, nothing would function. As Simon Sinek once said, “A team is not a group of people who work together. A team is a group of people who trust each other.”

But here’s the twist. Much like Rocket Singh, I realized that gratitude in the real world is… complicated. While the protagonist’s clients and vendors help him, and everyone walks into the sunset, happily, my journey had a more sobering epilogue. Many of my former team members have moved on to greener pastures. Some have started their own businesses, and others are now with competitors. I couldn’t be prouder. After all, 90% of them were freshers when they joined HDPL; today, they’re thriving.

But—and here’s the kicker—very few maintain any connection. Post-2019, the monosyllabic “Hi” or the occasional formal inquiry has replaced meaningful relationships. On the rare occasion I see their updates on social media, I congratulate them with genuine joy. But their polite, distant responses feel like a lukewarm handshake instead of a hug.

Am I asking for a parade in my honour? Not at all. I don’t expect exclamations of gratitude to be shouted from rooftops. But the cold shoulder hurts. HDPL was their stepping stone, and I had hoped for some acknowledgement—at least a simple “thank you.”

In those moments, I can’t help but think: Rocket Singh’s ending belongs in movies, not real life.

Humour keeps me sane through all this. I joke that if I ever write my memoir, I’ll call it The Forgotten Founder. But jokes aside, the truth stings. I don’t hold grudges, though. When I get reference calls for past team members, I give glowing recommendations with a smile. Why? Because they deserve it. They worked hard, they contributed, and if they don’t remember me, that’s on them—not me.

Despite the disappointments, I’ve learned to keep climbing my own mountain. Like Rocket Singh, I’ve met people who reposed faith in me when others didn’t. I will never forget the friend who gave me my first project or the mentor who showed me the way. They didn’t have to, but they did.

As Maya Angelou famously said, “People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” If only more of us lived by that mantra, perhaps life wouldn’t feel so far removed from the movies.