Exclusive: "I feel proud that I will be India's first leading man with Vitiligo," says filmmaker Mahesh Gowda

Filmmaker Mahesh Gowda's film 'Bili Chukki Halli Hakki' has been making many heads turn even before going on floors. With a rather interesting premise at the center that concerns the skin condition Vitiligo, the film has ticked off many boxes as far as novelty is concerned, and with Mahesh Gowda himself playing the lead in an attempt to break many barriers, one can expect the film to soon trigger start a poignant conversation. Mahesh has himself endured the skin condition for many years but he aspires to spread the word about Vitiligo through comedy and emotions that are relatable to his audience.
"The film is about a rather "normal", unassuming guy who's about to get married to a girl totally out of his league. He has had the Vitiligo condition for many years so he is used to rejections but when this girl, who's fair and tall and really pretty, agrees to marry him without any qualms, he feels a little uneasy about accepting her decision. Feels that something is wrong here. So, the entire Vitiligo angle plays as a setting rather than the main element because the idea is to address a larger point of social acceptance here - individuals with any kind of deformity or oddity, it could be stammering to being squint eyed, have had to face societal taunts. "Who's going to marry you with your condition?" would be a resounding question in their lives and when this guy in the film does find a suitor after all, he is unable to believe it! The film will be a comedy and the attempt isn't to be preachy but entertaining all along," says Mahesh Gowda.
His decision to turn lead actor, however, came as a discerning suggestion from the late Puneeth Rajkumar. Mahesh Gowda had a film in hand for the Powerstar and with the latter having urged him to come up with something very unconventional and novel for PRK Productions, 'Bili Chukki Halli Hakki' slowly came to being. And it was Puneeth himself who assured Mahesh Gowda that he could, and must, play the lead in the film.

"He said "Mahesh, casting someone else wouldn't do justice to the idea" and that's when I really came to decide that I will play the male lead in the film. But there are more factors too to consider here such as that the current list of professional actors in India, as per my knowledge, doesn't include any actor with Vitiligo. There have been a few fashion models who have made a name for themselves but that's about. So, for the film, rather than casting another actor and trying out makeup on them, I felt that I could do it myself - and I am proud of the fact that I am India's first leading man with the Vitiligo condition. 'Bili Chukki Halli Hakki' isn't a personal story by any means though," he added.