In November 2012, Barkha Madan, who played a ghost in the hit film “Bhoot,” became a nun named Gyalten Samsen at a monastery in Dharamshala. Shorn of her hair as per Buddhist tradition, she is supremely content and has one ambition: to start a school for nuns. Madan feels that if doctors and actors have schools, aspiring nuns (like she was) should have one as well!
But here’s the interesting part: Her production “Surkhaab,” which she produced before renouncing the world, is soon releasing in India, more than 18 months after receiving awards and accolades in the U.S. and Canada in 2012. Madan plays Jeet, a judo gold medalist forced to flee her country, in the film about illegal immigration and human trafficking.
The film was shot in Toronto and Punjab then, and Madan recollects having a skeletal unit of 10 people in which she was the producer, female lead and “chaiwala” (tea supplier). Now, she will also be promoting the movie.
As for Madan’s history, she was one of the finalists in Miss India 1984, became a model and made her debut in a supporting role with the 1996 success “Khiladiyon Ke Khiladi.” She also starred in the Indo-Dutch co-production “Driving Miss Palmen” and then disappeared from screen till “Bhoot,” followed by over 20 television shows.
However, Madan had visited a monastery in Sikkim and had felt at home. This inspired her and after producing her first film “Soch Lo” (2010) as well as “Surkhaab,” she decided to take the all-important step. Today, besides basic attire needed in the monastery, Madan only has a cell-phone and a laptop and loves working for kids unless she is meditating.
This is one bright spirit who played a spirit in her best-known film and ended up being “spirit”ual. What a journey!