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Why Bollywood Actor Barkha Madan Chose To Be A Buddhist Monk?

Barkha Madan, once a prominent model, beauty queen, and actor, has transformed her life completely, now known as Gyalten Samten after becoming a Buddhist monk. 

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Priya Prakash
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Barkha Madan

Barkha Madan/ IG

Barkha Madan, once a prominent model, beauty queen, and actor, has transformed her life completely, now known as Gyalten Samten after becoming a Buddhist monk. Barkha first rose to fame in the modelling world, notably competing in the 1994 Miss India beauty pageant alongside Sushmita Sen and Aishwarya Rai. While Sen and Rai secured the top spots, Barkha earned the title of Miss Tourism India and later finished as the third runner-up at the Miss Tourism International pageant in Malaysia.

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Meet Barkha Madan, Pageant Winner Who Turned Buddhist Monk

Barkha made her Bollywood debut in 1996 with the action-packed film Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, which featured Akshay Kumar, Rekha, and Raveena Tandon in lead roles. The movie was a major success, but it wasn’t until 2003 that Barkha got her next significant role.

In Ram Gopal Varma's supernatural thriller Bhoot, she played the ghost Manjeet Khosla, leaving a lasting impression on both critics and audiences. Her performance stood out amidst a star-studded cast that included Ajay Devgn, Urmila Matondkar, Nana Patekar, Rekha, Fardeen Khan, and Tanuja.

Between her roles in Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi and Bhoot, Barkha appeared in several television serials. She featured in the social drama Nyaay and portrayed the historical figure Rani Laxmibai in the series 1857 Kranti. From 2005 to 2009, she was part of the popular Zee TV show Saat Phere: Saloni Ka Safar, starring alongside Rajshree Thakur and Sharad Kelkar.

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In 2010, Barkha ventured into production, founding Golden Gate LLC to support independent filmmakers. She produced and acted in two films, Soch Lo and Surkhaab.

However, her true calling came in 2012 when she decided to embrace Buddhism, influenced by her lifelong admiration for the Dalai Lama. She became a monk and took the name Gyalten Samten. Now, she lives in mountain monasteries, sharing insights and moments from her spiritual journey on Instagram.

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Buddhist monk Barkha Madan