An AchieveHer conversation on resilience, motherhood, individuality, art and redefining what it truly means to succeed.
There are some stories that do not announce themselves with grand declarations. They reveal themselves slowly—in the choices a person makes, the hardships they endure, the people they nurture and the principles they refuse to compromise.
The journey of Dhaassyam Geetha Bhascker is one such story.
Her life has moved through many identities: daughter, wife, mother, teacher and artist. Yet beneath each of these roles lies a consistent thread—a willingness to observe, question, adapt and continue walking forward, even when the path has been difficult.
Her reflections for AchieveHer offer an intimate glimpse into the experiences that shaped her: childhood comparisons, the empathy born from witnessing hardship, the responsibility of motherhood, the pursuit of art, personal loss, and a deeply individual understanding of success.
What emerges is not a conventional success story. It is a story about warmth, individuality and the courage to remain relevant to others while remaining true to oneself.
The warmth born from difficult beginnings
Some of the deepest qualities in a person are often born from experiences they would never have chosen.
For Geetha Bhascker, childhood was marked by comparison. Being compared with her elder sister and being bullied for her obesity affected the way she viewed herself and the wor
ld around her.
Yet those experiences also made her particularly sensitive to people who felt inadequate or overlooked.
A period spent at her uncle’s home exposed her to realities beyond her own. She observed a boy wandering through the streets, people sleeping on pathways and people waiting in long queues for water. These observations developed in her a profound sense of empathy.
She began sleeping on the floor and bathing with half a bucket of water—not as a statement, but as a personal response to what she was witnessing around her.
Looking back, she connects those experiences directly to the quality that would later become part of her personality:
“All those practices that I developed as an escape of biased affections at home, made me a personality with warmth that later drew admiration.”
It is a striking reflection. What began as a response to pain eventually became a source of connection with others.
Choosing individuality over conformity
Individuality has remained central to Geetha Bhascker’s journey.
Her artistic abilities were criticised, but criticism did not stop her from exploring her own understanding of art. She pursued a deeper investigation into the subject and worked to change the pattern of art education in schools.
Her efforts eventually found acceptance, particularly among younger generations.
When asked how she would like to be remembered, her answer is not centred on fame or recognition. Instead, it points towards the impact she hopes her work has had on art and young people.
“A deep investigation and untiring efforts to change the pattern of art in schools, helped me gain support and acceptance in the young generation. Hope to be remembered for that!”
For Geetha, individuality was not simply about being different. It was about having the conviction to explore a different path and stay with it long enough for others to see its value.
Motherhood without ownership
Motherhood often comes with an instinct to protect. For Geetha Bhascker, however, protecting her son also meant allowing him the freedom to become his own person.
Supporting his dreams was not financially easy. There were compromises, longer working hours and constant efforts to balance expenses.
But her philosophy remained clear: a parent can guide a child without claiming ownership over the child’s future.
“Not easy, financially for sure. But always feel who am I to dictate terms on how another human should be? My son is a chosen human through me, a gift of God. I could only see that I support his vision and guide the best.”
She recognised his creative interests and believed in his ability to find his own way. She also acknowledges the strong emotional influence of his father, whose foresight and ideals helped shape their son. For Geetha, motherhood was therefore not about deciding what her son should become. It was about creating the space and support for him to discover it himself.
The quality she found most valuable in her son
When speaking about her son, Geetha does not choose to highlight a professional achievement.
Instead, she remembers an act of concern.
After his first movie did not bring the profits he had expected, he still wanted to share a considerable portion of what he had earned with the people who had supported him during its making.
He sat down, made a list of names and calculated what he could give. He even asked his mother whether she could adjust her expenses.
For Geetha, that moment revealed something deeply important about his character.
“Thus, I am proud of his Concern and individuality.”
She adds another detail that perhaps explains why this quality matters so much to her:
“He would never hesitate to share even a meal from the plate of his staff or the help at home.”
In a world where achievement is often measured through what one possesses, Geetha’s pride lies in how her son treats people.
Learning to live beyond judgement
Throughout her life, Geetha Bhascker has faced decisions that others questioned.
Her son’s upbringing, schooling and filmmaking journey brought their share of opinions. So did her own entry into films at a time when she was mourning her husband’s demise.
But years of comparison, interference and judgement had taught her not to let outside voices determine the course of her life.
“Many! I’m thankful to those numerous interferences, comparisons, judgements, bullying all the more! made me numb and ignore them to live my life.”
There is an interesting balance in her response. She did not choose to reject relationships simply because people disagreed with her. Instead, she learned to distinguish between personal conviction and social relationships.
Her life demonstrates that standing by one’s decisions does not necessarily require walking away from everyone who questions them.
When motherhood shaped the artist
The experience of motherhood did not remain separate from Geetha’s artistic life.
She had sacrificed aspects of her own career in order to raise her child. That experience, however, later became an important part of how she approached roles involving motherhood.
“Definitely. I had sacrificed my career experiences for a better cause in raising my child. Understanding the need of a child as a pillar of emotional support at every stage of life, helps me enact the same for the screens.”
The experiences of real life became part of her understanding as an artist.
What she had lived as a mother could now be expressed through the characters she portrayed.
The rituals nobody sees
Beyond the public-facing aspects of her life, Geetha Bhascker’s everyday world is shaped by discipline.
She describes her practices as mundane and rigid. Time is important to her, and she schedules her chores carefully.
Her relationship with daily rituals is deeply rooted in habits developed during childhood. She speaks of bathing, sweeping, swabbing and putting muggu before her puja.
These ordinary practices have a deeper significance for her.
“A habit inculcated young. That to me is yoga and meditation.”
For Geetha, meditation does not necessarily require stepping away from life. It can exist within the rhythm of everyday responsibilities.
The chapter she would relive
Asked what part of her life she would wish to experience once more, Geetha’s answer is unexpectedly personal.
She chooses her birth and recalls the love and attention she received from her father as a child.
Her memories of marriage, however, are markedly different.
“My marriage. It wasn’t so pleasant. I fantasied like anyone but never expected all that I went through.”
Yet she does not end her reflection in disappointment.
“Saying so, contented as probably God gave it all compensated as a mother and a teacher.”
It is a sentiment that appears repeatedly in her reflections: acknowledging what life took away while remaining grateful for what it eventually placed in her hands.
A different definition of success
Perhaps the strongest departure from conventional ideas of achievement comes when Geetha speaks about success.
She says she never had expectations of it.
For her, success is not permanent or universally defined. It changes from person to person and from one stage of life to another.
“I never had expectations of “success”. It is time-bounded, wobbles, drifts, shifts and is different in each and in intensities.”
Her own measure is much simpler.
“If I am healthy and able to be something relevant to someone, that’s success to me.”
That belief has allowed her to face uncomfortable situations rather than avoid them.
She speaks of continuing to reach young people through art and refusing to seek sympathy for the difficulties she encountered.
“Today I’m happy to reach out to many youngsters through art. Yes, I never faltered or lament for sympathy but walked on with confidence in my endeavor.”
In that definition, success becomes less about arriving somewhere and more about remaining useful, capable and meaningful.
Her message to the Readers of AchieveHer
Wonder if worth giving one. Yet with my experiences, I feel every human not just women, needs to understand themselves first. Who am I? why am I here and what can I do for the life God has given me. A fair one with 24 hours for each and a beautiful earth. Make a world for yourself, however, wherever, whatsoever. Life is time and that time never stops nor goes back however the path may be. You can do nothing but walk on righteously. Leave an impact of confidence for others to follow.”
Geetha Bhascker’s most enduring message may therefore be the simplest one:
Create your own world. Walk your own path. And leave behind the confidence for someone else to follow.
— AchieveHer Editorial
The quotations in this article are reproduced from Dhaassyam Geetha Bhascker’s original responses provided for the AchieveHer feature.