Many celebrities, including Zaira Wasim and Sana Khan, have left the entertainment industry to pursue spirituality. Among them is Barkha Madan, a former model, beauty queen and actress, who transformed her life to become a Buddhist monk, now known as Gyalten Samten.
Barkha first rose to prominence in the modelling world, participating in the prestigious Miss India beauty pageant in 1994 alongside Sushmita Sen and Aishwarya Rai. While Sen and Rai went on to win the crown and the first runner-up title, Barkha secured the title of Miss Tourism India and later emerged as the third runner-up at the Miss Tourism International pageant in Malaysia.
Her Bollywood debut came in 1996 with Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi, an action film starring Akshay Kumar, Rekha and Raveena Tandon, which became a major box-office hit. However, it was not until 2003 that she earned widespread acclaim for her portrayal of the ghost Manjeet Khosla in Ram Gopal Varma’s supernatural thriller Bhoot. Despite sharing screen space with stars like Ajay Devgn, Urmila Matondkar, Nana Patekar, Rekha and Tanuja, Barkha left a lasting impression with her chilling performance.
Between her roles in Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi and Bhoot, Barkha appeared in various TV serials, including the social drama Nyaay and the historical series 1857 Kranti, where she played Rani Laxmibai. Following Bhoot, Barkha returned to television, featuring in the popular Zee TV show Saat Phere – Saloni Ka Safar from 2005 to 2009.
In 2010, Barkha ventured into film production, founding Golden Gate LLC to support independent filmmakers. She produced and starred in two films, Soch Lo and Surkhaab.
A lifelong follower of the Dalai Lama, Barkha found her true calling in 2012 when she decided to embrace Buddhism and renounced worldly pursuits. Adopting the name Gyalten Samten, she now lives in mountain monasteries, dedicating her life to spirituality.
Through her Instagram account, Gyalten Samten provides glimpses of her serene and reflective journey, inspiring many with her transformation from a life of glamour to one of profound spiritual peace.
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