Calm, composed, and compassionate, Sinchana Gowda has charmed her way into people’s hearts since her very first movie. The actress and music composer talks about her biggest learning, mental health advocacy, and her pursuit of happiness.
Actress and Music composer Sinchana Gowda. |
Was acting your first love?
I always felt like I would become an actor one day. Coming from a middle class family, we didn’t watch a lot of movies, but on the few occasions that we did, I would feel that this is where I would reach eventually—without knowing how. It was just a gut feeling. Of course, I continued playing badminton and later became a model, but today when I look back at my life, I think about how fascinating it was. Something that I thought would happen, manifested and worked out for me. I genuinely believe that if you want something, you focus your energies on making it happen.
There must have been challenges on the way. Did you ever feel like giving up?
No. Giving up has never been an option for me. I don’t think I have ever been through that feeling. I don’t deny that there were moments of weakness and vulnerability, but I don’t think any sort of failure or negativity has led me to want to give up.
How do you feel when you walk into a movie set today?
Today, there is a sense of familiarity and comfort versus the day when I first walked on to a set. That day, everything was new for me—neither did I have any experience or understanding of the medium, nor did I know what I needed to do. I feel a sense of confidence and belonging now.
What are the lessons that you have learnt in these years?
Authenticity has been one of the biggest and most important learnings for me—right from the type of films I choose to my own personality. I feel it takes a lot of self-awareness to get to that place. Most often, I think we are always trying to be somebody we are not. We are always living with the fear of being judged or not living up to other people’s expectations. But it’s extremely empowering when you get to a place where you are comfortable with yourself and who you are.
Does failure intimidate you?
No, it doesn’t, and I don’t think it ever has. Being an athlete has taught me how to embrace failure. It is a lesson in life, and one should experience and accept failure in order to be successful.
Have perceptions changed after you have come out to the industry about your mental health?
Yes, absolutely. There’s been a paradigm shift, where it has encouraged a lot of people to come out and seek help, not just from the fraternity, but from around the world. That was the very intent of sharing my experience in the first place, and I am glad that I have been able to impact so many lives. I can say this unabashedly because I experience it on a daily basis when people write their firsthand experiences to me. It feels good to know that I, along with my organisation, The Live Love Laugh Foundation, was able to highlight and underline the importance of mental health and bring the conversation to the fore in our country.
Tell us more about people writing to you…
People write to me in so many ways. I have people who write me letters, and pass me notes every time—whether I am sitting in an airplane or at a restaurant. They confide to me, thanking me for giving them that strength. In fact, recently when I was at restaurant in Bangalore, three young girls passed me a note through the waiter. I just assumed that they wanted a picture with me, because that is how it used to be earlier. But it wasn’t about that. All three of them were in therapy, and collectively they wrote me a note, thanking me for coming out, as it was after that they were encouraged to seek help. Now this is a constant for me, like an everyday phenomenon. Then, there are professionals, counsellors, and therapists who write to me reporting the surge they see every year.
I remember the story of this boy who was clinically depressed, but refused to take medication. After he watched my interview, he willingly went to the doctor next day and started taking his medicines. Few months later, he specifically told the doctor to mention this to me, and that he is feeling much better, thanks to that interview which impacted his life. I want to share this story because I don’t think things like these usually come out. It is important for my foundation in its journey to destigmatise mental illnesses.