# The Stories We Are | Mahesh Gowda | TEDxNHVPS Youth

Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUlm67Rn2SY
Recap page: https://rapidrecap.app/video/PUlm67Rn2SY
Generated: 2025-12-04T17:48:44.43+00:00

---
## Quick Overview

Filmmaker and storyteller Mahesh Gowda shares his personal journey of overcoming vitiligo and societal judgment by embracing his story and channeling his passion into filmmaking, culminating in the creation and success of his film "Bili Chukkigala Halli Hakki," which won awards and streamed on Amazon Prime.

**Key Points:**
- Mahesh Gowda recounts developing vitiligo at age 24/25 while pursuing post-graduation and working as a first assistant choreographer.
- He faced intense emotional turmoil, including being treated as untouchable and people worrying about his marriage prospects due to his skin condition.
- The turning point occurred when he realized he needed to create his own empowering story, leading him to quit his job and pursue film direction at the London Film Academy.
- He produced and directed his first feature film, "Bili Chukkigala Halli Hakki," which won the Best Short Film award at the 15th Dada Saheb Phalke Festival and streamed on Amazon Prime.
- Gowda contrasts his physical state before and after his transformation (shown in a four-panel image) to illustrate the power of overcoming internal struggles.
- He emphasizes that the problem wasn't external (the skin condition) but internal (how he perceived himself and the world perceived him), urging the audience to write their own powerful stories.

![Screenshot at 13:12: The speaker points to a slide displaying a four-panel image showing his physical transformation from having vitiligo \(top left and bottom left\) to a muscular physique \(top right and bottom right\), symbolizing the result of his journey and the power of his story.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/PUlm67Rn2SY/00-13-12.png)

**Context:** This TEDx talk is delivered by Mahesh Gowda, identified as a filmmaker, actor, producer, and storyteller, focusing on his personal struggle with vitiligo and how he transformed this challenge into a source of creative inspiration and professional success in the film industry.

## Detailed Analysis

Mahesh Gowda begins by stating that he loves stories and that his life story needed to be told, especially concerning his skin condition, vitiligo. He recounts that when he was 24 or 25, while pursuing post-graduation and working as a first assistant choreographer, he experienced intense self-doubt and social stigma related to his vitiligo, including people avoiding him and worrying about his marriage. This internal turmoil—the feeling that his life was unfairly difficult and that he was untouchable—was the real problem, not the physical condition itself. The turning point came when he decided to stop running from the issue and instead channel his passion for cinema into action. He quit his job, moved to London to pursue an MBA, and later enrolled in the London Film Academy to study direction. Upon returning to India in 2013, he started his production house and directed his first feature film, "Bili Chukkigala Halli Hakki." This film, which addressed the issue of vitiligo, won the Best Short Film award at the 15th Dada Saheb Phalke Festival and was streamed on Amazon Prime. He shows a slide illustrating his physical transformation to emphasize that this success came from actively fighting his internal battles rather than succumbing to the external perception of his condition. He concludes by challenging the audience to pick up their pen and write their own powerful, tangible stories, noting that the stage is waiting for them.

### Personal Struggle with Vitiligo

- Experienced vitiligo at age 24/25 while working as a choreographer's assistant
- Faced societal stigma, feeling untouchable and fearful about marriage
- The internal struggle was the real problem, not the skin condition itself.

### The Turning Point

- Decided to stop running from the issue and channel his passion into filmmaking
- Quit his job, pursued an MBA in London, and enrolled in the London Film Academy for direction.

### Professional Success

- Returned to India in 2013, started his own production house, and directed his first feature film, "Bili Chukkigala Halli Hakki"
- The film won Best Short Film at the 15th Dada Saheb Phalke Festival and streamed on Amazon Prime.

### The Message

- Used his body transformation (from before and after photos) as proof that he channeled his pain into something powerful and tangible
- Encourages the audience to write their own stories and not let external judgment dictate their lives.

![Screenshot at 00:03: The TEDxNHVPS Youth event theme displayed: "Curious Minds Compassionate Hearts"](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/PUlm67Rn2SY/00-00-03.png)
![Screenshot at 00:05: Introduction slide for the speaker, Mr. Mahesh Gowda, Film Maker\|Actor\|Producer\|Story Teller.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/PUlm67Rn2SY/00-00-05.png)
![Screenshot at 02:39: A picture of the speaker with actor Puneeth Rajkumar is displayed on the screen.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/PUlm67Rn2SY/00-02-39.png)
![Screenshot at 08:23: A four-panel image comparing the speaker's physique before and after his transformation journey.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/PUlm67Rn2SY/00-08-23.png)
![Screenshot at 11:37: A title slide appears on the screen reading "THE SCARMAN" referencing his film or theme.](https://ss.rapidrecap.app/screens/PUlm67Rn2SY/00-11-37.png)