HYDERABAD: The story of Geet will inspire you enough to never lose faith in life. She believes in being as strong as possible and that clearly is the reason why she has been fighting against all odds to make her dream come true. This young woman, like any other woman, dreamed of a fairytale-like life. Settled in Delhi, Geet is a motivational speaker and a social worker. Most importantly, her dream to be the first wheelchair actress is definitely a story that could inspire millions of differently- abled people.
“I have actually been a Bollywood fan for as long as I can remember. I always wanted to be an actress. Even as a child, I would often just start acting at the dinner table,” she says, excitedly.
Geet was just another innocent 10-year-old girl when tragedy struck her and changed her life forever. Recalling that horrific moment, she says, “I slept in peace and woke up to ambulance sirens. I had no clue about what was happening, when I heard the doctor tell my parents I could never walk in my life. I was paralysed.”
She was shattered as she realised her condition. The little girl who danced to peppy numbers on the dining table couldn’t walk anymore. Geet is adamant that she doesn’t need any sympathy and says the response of people was worse than her tragedy. “I went into a traumatic state. All I saw was people feeling sorry for me and stare at me. I wonder what made me sad – the people or my condition,” she expresses.
Geet soon decided to ignore all negativity, completed her schooling, graduated with an engineering degree and also earned a doctorate in law.
She was, however, drawn towards art and cinema and it was a matter of time before she realised her dream.
“Even after my accident, I tried and participated in different events. My first performance was in sixth grade. By the time I grew up, my teacher disagreed to take me in plays, saying it was difficult to manage a role on the wheelchair. I was extremely broken.”
And yet, she carried on with an unwavering and relentless sense of passion, when she was finally rewarded with an offer in television show, India’s Best Cine Stars Ki Khoj.
“I was just afraid that maybe no one wanted an actress with a disability. But my sister drove me to audition at India’s Best Cinestars ki Khoj. I was selected in the first round. Rather than preparing pieces solely for the audition, I began preparing monologues just to see if I could do better and do different types of scenes. It became a way to challenge myself and expand my acting abilities,” she says. Though she was one among the 75 candidates selected across the country, she was disqualified in the dance round.
“It did not make me sad. I knew I could not stand, how would I dance? I was happy for all the appreciation I received from the audience,” she says, defiantly.
Geet is currently working on a music video that is based on women’s issues and is also in talks with a Telugu small-screen director.
“I love Hyderabad, the language and the talent here. I have a friend there and have been insisting her to look for contacts who can help me with my dream. Mahesh Babu, Pawan Kalyan and Allu Arjun are my favourites down South,” she gushes.
Geet’s story is proof that hard work and determination can help you achieve anything in life, regardless of any obstacles you face along the way.
“I believe in the famous dialogue, Kehte hain agar kissii cheez ko dil se chaho, toh puri kainaat usse tumse milane ki koshish mein lag jaati hai,”she signs off with the famous Shahrukh Khan line.