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Who is Barkha Madan? Meet Bollywood actress who made her debut with Akshay Kumar-led film and has now turned monk
Barkha Madan, formerly a well-known model, beauty queen, and actress, has completely changed her life and is now known as Gyalten Samten after embracing the path of a Buddhist monk.
Barkha Madan, who was once a leading model, beauty queen, and actress, has undergone a complete transformation, now going by the name Gyalten Samten after choosing the path of a Buddhist monk. Barkha initially gained fame in the modeling industry, particularly when she competed in the 1994 Miss India pageant alongside Sushmita Sen and Aishwarya Rai. She later made her film debut in a movie starring Akshay Kumar.
Barkha made her Bollywood debut in 1996 with the action-packed film Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, starring Akshay Kumar, Rekha, and Raveena Tandon. The movie was a huge success, but it wasn't until 2003 that Barkha landed her next major role.
In Ram Gopal Varma's supernatural thriller Bhoot, Barkha played the role of the ghost Manjeet Khosla. Her performance stood out among a star-studded cast, which 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 starred in the social drama Nyaay and portrayed the historical figure Rani Laxmibai in the series 1857 Kranti.
From 2005 to 2009, Barkha was also part of the popular Zee TV show Saat Phere: Saloni Ka Safar, where she starred alongside Rajshree Thakur and Sharad Kelkar.
In 2012, Barkha discovered her true purpose when she chose to follow Buddhism, motivated by her deep admiration for the Dalai Lama. She embraced the monastic life and took the name Gyalten Samten. Today, she resides in mountain monasteries, where she shares glimpses and wisdom from her spiritual journey on Instagram.
According to reports, Barkha's spiritual connection began when she visited a monastery in Sikkim during her 6th grade, where she felt an immediate bond with the culture.
Years later, while working in the film industry, she revisited the monastery and became more drawn to spirituality. The teachings of the Dalai Lama profoundly impacted Barkha, guiding her toward Buddhism.
In an old interview, Barkha revealed that when she shared her decision to leave acting and become a Buddhist with her parents, they wholeheartedly supported her choice.
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