Barkha Madan’s Surkhaab highlights issues of illegal migration and globalisation. In a chat with Sharabsti Mallik, she explains why the movie took two years to release in India and how she became a Buddhist nun
She shot to fame playing the ghost in Ram Gopal Varma’s Bhoot but the celebrity bug never bit Barkha Madan. She did not want to become a regular actress, romancing the hero and being amidst paparazzi. The handful of movies that she appeared in spanned over two decades — not because she was choosy but because there were many other things that interested her. “I loved to travel and was also the editor of an entertainment website. These were a few things that kept me on my toes and I enjoyed them. I never decided to concentrate only on movies and television,” she says.
Her forthcoming movie Surkhaab was completed in November 2012 and will have a limited release in India through PVR Director’s Rare. After gathering critical accolades at many international film festivals, the movie will finally see the light of day in the country. Surkhaab’s director Sanjay Talreja wanted the movie to make some rounds of film festivals before its release in India. “It is an independent film and waiting for some time before releasing it in India was worth it,” says Madan, the protagonist of the movie. Surkhaab is produced by her production house Golden Gate Creations.
The actress does not mind the movie’s limited release here. She believes that the film’s screening at various film festivals across the world helped the film gain an international credibility. It will encourage Indians to go and watch the movie. “The audience of film festivals are different from the general movie going population but since Surkhaab has been recognised internationally, people will want to see it,” she adds.
The actor, who is also a former model, believes that the Indian audience is in the cusp of change. It is the best time for independent film-makers and new actors. “Many avenues are opening up. The gap between old school cinema and new generation content-based film is narrowing down. Gone are the days when a movie was judged by the big names associated with it. People are accepting stories with strong content. Any out-of-the-box idea, which is relevant to the present times, works,” she says.
The movie subtitled The flight for survival is a gripping tale of a young girl from Punjab, who illegally migrates to Canada to live with her younger brother. It deals with the sensitive issues of illegal immigrants, women empowerment and human trafficking. “Surkhaab is the story of a woman’s courageous journey to build a life she can live with dignity, honesty and integrity,” says Madan. It also explores real life challenges and obstacles faced by a reluctant immigrant. “People are always on the move — they travel from one place to another in search of a better livelihood and a safe future. There is something that drives them away, some fear or situation. Otherwise why would one voluntarily want to leave their motherland and go to a foreign country where they are constantly opposed and humiliatedIJ” she says.
Madan also appeared in a few television shows before she decided to give up all worldly attachments and become a Buddhist nun in 2012. Following the completion of Surkhaab, she got herself ordained from Sera Je Monastery under the supervision of lama Zopa Rinpoche and changed her name to Gyalten Samten. So, what made the actor, recoil from the successful lifeIJ “I was interested in Buddhist philosophy and studied it. Often when you read those texts you end up questioning your purpose of life. That happened to me and when I interacted with monks, it took my understanding to a different plane. I realised that the true purpose of life is to be happy and making others happy,” she says.
Madan does not plan to return to films or television but she said that she would contribute to the industry through her production house.
