The 90s era gave us several beauty queens, and one can easily recall the insane popularity of Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita Sen. However, there were several other divas who made a lasting impression on everyone's hearts. Like others, this diva also made an impact with her performances, but has now left Bollywood and its glamour behind to become a monk. The actress is none other than Barkha Madan, who is now reportedly known by a new name, 'Ven. Gyalten Samten'.
Born into a Punjabi family, Barkha Madan first found a taste of popularity after she participated in 1994 alongside Aishwarya Rai and Sushmita Sen. She won the title of Miss Tourism India at the pageant and later also participated in the inaugural Miss Tourism International, becoming the third runner-up.
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After gaining popularity with pageants, she made her anticipated acting debut in 1996 with the film 'Khiladiyon Ka Khiladi' alongside Rekha, Akshay Kumar and Raveena Tandon. She also worked on the international project 'Driving Miss Palmen' in the same year.
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Barkha Madan gained more popularity after starring in Ram Gopal Varma's film 'Bhoot', where she starred along with Ajay Devgn, Urmila Matondkar, Nana Patekar, Rekha, Fardeen Khan and Tanuja. Her portrayal of the ghost received critical acclaim.
She also worked in some television shows, 'Nyaay', '1857 Kranti' and 'Saat Phere: Saloni Ka Safar'. She was the producer of her films 'Soch Lo' and 'Surkhaab'. Her 2014 film 'Surkhaab' won the Best Feature at the Canada International Film Festival.
Despite finding success in showbiz, Barkha Madan decided to become a Buddhist nun in November 2012.