The traditional gender norms never made sense to Himshikha Golchha.

The so-called feminine things like having long hair, dressing up in pink and wearing makeup have always been against the spirit of this aspiring filmmaker.

Growing up, Golchha had a tomboyish personality, had guys for friends and related more to them than girls.

“So coming out was a liberating experience for me,” says the 25-year-old, who identifies as non-binary and prefers the “they” pronoun.  

“Accepting myself for who I am also helped my creativity.”

Golchha was born in Mumbai, India, and grew up in Kathmandu. Growing up, they say, gender dysphoria was very difficult, because the Nepali society at the time was not as accepting of the LGBTQIA+ people as it is now.

“I was looked down upon because I didn’t fit in the traditional gender role. It made me question myself and my sexuality,” they say.

The young Golchha found escape in movies, particularly Bollywood flicks. For them, movies were someone’s imagination brought to life—they were everything real life wasn’t, where one could become anything they wanted.

“I wanted to make a Bollywood film of my own,” they share. “Making films would allow me to shape the world I envisioned. I would have control”

Golchha used to make films with their cousins at home for fun. Despite being born in a family with a business background, they dreamt of becoming a filmmaker.

Golchha’s mother was from Mumbai, home to Bollywood movies, where they would visit often to meet their maternal grandparents. The experience of staying in the Bollywood city also had a significant impact on Golchha.

Actor Preity Zinta was Golchha’s biggest inspiration. Golchha attended St. Xavier’s School in Jawalakhel and The British School in Sanepa before moving to India for higher studies. In India, they studied Business and Film and then moved to London. After a yearlong stay in London, Golchha again moved to the US to study BBA.   

It was while studying in the US where they transitioned to a non-binary gender identity.

“I knew that I didn’t want to fit into any binary gender labels,” says Golchha about their decision to come out at the age of 19. “And it was easier to come out in the US, more than it would have been in Nepal.”

It was a turning point in Golchha’s life. They embraced their true personality, quirks and weirdness. And this offered them the creative freedom they had always longed for. 

Golchha dropped out of college two months shy of graduation, because they had found a purpose in life.

“I knew what I wanted to do in my life, which was to work in films and further the causes of LGBTQIA+ through art form,” they say.

Golchha passed up on the opportunity to settle in the US and decided to return to Nepal. At home, as a sexual minority, they had a battle in the waiting—a battle to win acceptance of the society. They knew very well that they could be tutted and taunted, but that didn’t discourage them the slightest.

Golchha had learned to accept themself and could tune out the criticisms thrown out in their way. They would not be distracted.

“I didn’t want to give myself a chance to get distracted by what people thought of me,” they share. 

Soon after returning home, Golchha kept themself busy. They started working at their father’s company, Neoteric, as the business development manager of Neo store that sells phones and laptops online. They also worked in Neosphere, an e-learning educational institute, for a couple of months. 

But the passion for filmmaking remain undiminished in Golchha’s heart. In 2021, they founded Moonstone Production, a film production company that would allow them to realize their dream of telling stories in music and visual art form. Already, Moonstone has brought out 15 music videos of which Golchha is very proud.

“‘Ma Esto Movie Banauchu’ and ‘Adhuro Rahar’ are two of my works that are closest to my heart,” they say.

At the present, Golchha and their production are trying to experiment in film forms to tell compelling stories. They also plan to make feature length films, possibly under Bollywood’s banner, in the future.

They also want to empower the LGBTQIA+ people and promote their causes through films or any other art forms and activism.

Despite prevalent discrimination and bullying against sexual minorities, Golchha seems headstrong and driven toward their goals.

“It takes so much to not listen to others and focus on my goals,” they say. “I have to be strong.”