Most people see the seven minutes on stage. They rarely see the seven weeks behind it.
When I wrote The Bollywood Speech, it began as a personal experiment. I wanted to apply what I had learned in my first few years at Toastmasters: structure, storytelling, vocal modulation, the use of props and, of course, humour. Oh, and time management, because in a Toastmasters contest, if you go above seven minutes and thirty seconds, you are disqualified.
With that pressure in mind, I began rehearsing twice a day in front of the mirror. I edited lines that sounded indulgent, sharpened punchlines, adjusted pauses and kept asking myself a single question. Will this connect across cultures?
The long climb
To reach the European Finals, you must win at four levels: your club, your area, your division and then the continent-wide championship. For me, division meant competing against speakers from all of Spain and Portugal. Only after winning that do you travel to the European Finals, where the semi-finals take place on day one and the final on day two.
The deeper you go, the more demanding it becomes. Each round forces you to refine, simplify, improve and let go of what is not serving the audience.
When I finally delivered The Bollywood Speech at the European Finals, someone approached me afterwards and said, You brought Bollywood to Europe. That moment captured something I had hoped for but never assumed would happen. A childhood story rooted in Indian cinema found its place on a European stage.
The parts no one sees
There is the seven minute performance. And then there is everything around it.
- The flight delay that almost made me miss the semifinal.
- The late night script changes when I believed the speech was already final.
- The fear of whether a story shaped by Indian childhood memories would resonate with a diverse European audience.
- The emotional rollercoaster of competing across two days with world-class speakers.
These experiences are their own teachers.
The unexpected impact
The podium finish was meaningful, but the deeper impact came afterwards. The speech opened doors I never anticipated. I was invited to perform at Shell and Unilever in the Netherlands, as well as HP, ADP and several corporate Toastmasters clubs. What began as a contest speech became a calling card, giving me visibility, stage time and a growing network.
What this journey taught me
- Rehearsal reveals the truth. You begin to hear your speech the way an audience will.
- Structure gives you freedom. A clear framework allows you to play.
- Risk builds connection. Personal stories travel further than safe messages.
- Every word has weight. Seven minutes train you to respect language.
- Emotion drives impact. Skill impresses, but emotion moves people.
As Fred DeVito said, “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.”
Ultimately, contests are about more than trophies. They are about transformation. They teach you to listen, adapt and connect with fellow human beings.
If you have never entered a contest before, I recommend putting on the brave pants. I will leave you with a line that guided me through my toughest moments:
“You may never know what results come of your actions. But if you do nothing, there will be no result.”
— Mahatma Gandhi
Watch: My Bollywood Speech. The contest-winning performance that brought Bollywood to Europe.
