When Bollywood actor Gagan Malik accepted the role of Buddha in the epic film Sri Siddhartha Gautama almost a decade ago, little was he aware his life would be forever changed.
The film, a Sri Lankan production by famed director Saman Weeraman released in 2013, enabled the actor to expand his fan base outside India. In Thailand, Gagan Malik became a household name. Siddhartha won several film honours at the 2014 UN Vesak Buddhist Film Festival in Hanoi and Malik grabbed the best actor award.
The casting for Siddhartha was really tough, he recalled, as he had to compete with 300 actors from Sri Lanka and other countries aspiring to be the lead. Yet, it turned out that he encountered an unexpected problem which he referred to as the "200 pimples incident". Just a day before flying to the Sri Lankan capital, his face was beaded with pimples, a severe problem for actors. All anti-acne creams failed and he was devastated, worrying those pimples might have cost him the role.
When arriving at the production company, he found other actors looked much better. No one including himself thought he would make it.
However, the director gave him extra time for recuperation. A skin doctor was sent for him. After examination, the doctor prescribed anti-acne creams, similar to the ones he had previously tried. That night, Malik recalled, he meditated to calm his mind, amid photos of a Buddha image he took from home.
Miraculously, all the pimples disappeared the following morning, so he could take part in the casting. And the rest is history.
The film role gave him a chance to go deeper into Buddhism. In a bid to prepare himself, Malik studied dhamma, including Old Path White Clouds, a book by the late Vietnamese monk Thich Nhat Hanh.
Recently in Bangkok to participate in a photo exhibition titled "Following In The Buddha's Footsteps" at EmQuartier's Q Stadium, Malik said he was also inspired by the late B.R. Ambedkar, who is known as the father of the Indian constitution for shaping the country's supreme law. In 1956, this great Indian thinker embraced Buddhism and founded Navayana, or the "new way" Buddhist sect.
"I read about the Buddha's life, dhamma, and that changes me," he said.
Quite a contrast, the actor gained fame from the role of a man who gave up everything. He is deeply touched by the Buddha's pursuit of the end of suffering, not for himself but for the people.
After thinking thoroughly, the Hindu-born actor decided to convert to Buddhism, and for a period of time he gave up the glamour, albeit temporarily, to become a monk. He earned the title of Phra Asokho.
Before the ordination, he went back to Sri Lanka, the location where filming took place. But eventually, he decided to get ordained at Wat That Thong in Bangkok's Wattana district. His becoming a monk early this year gained enormous media attention, locally and internationally.
It is indeed a transformation.
Determined to enter the monkhood, he had to make sure the new role did not clash with acting schedules. Since the Buddhist Vinaya rules require all men seeking monkhood to have their heads and eyebrows shaved, he had to make sure he regained the appearance of a layman before returning to the industry.
Several people were curious why he chose the Bangkok temple as his ordination place. Located in the heart of the capital's bustling Wattana, the temple may not deem an ideal place for those wishing to study dhamma.
They were correct, only partially. It's true that his schedule was tight with visits by fans-turned-disciples. But nothing would stop him from attaining the knowledge. When asked about this question, Malik replied with a calm smile: "No pain, no gain."
Few people realised that the temple, typically busy with funeral ceremonies, is a perfect place to consider non-permanence and death, as taught by the Lord Buddha.
It's a meaningful chapter in his life, and he extended his monkhood, from an initial 15-day period to 99 days.
Now that he has left the monkhood, his commitment to Buddhism remains strong. The actor has become a dedicated member of Buddhist society. He co-founded Triratnabhoomi Society, which is active in promoting Buddhism in India, the place where Buddhism originated but has, unfortunately, faded over time.
He noted some people may not realise that there are millions of Buddhist practitioners in the majority Hindu country. But several of them have practised with scarce resources. Some temples are so small, they cover only one room.
The actor aspires to fill the gap. At this stage, the Triratnabhoomi Society in conjunction with Wat That Thong has launched a donation project to hand over Buddha images to temples and individual practitioners. People in Thailand can join by donating Buddha images, and the foundation will deliver them to those in need. Bigger-sized images are sent to temples and smaller ones to individuals.
The project, which aims to gather a total of 84,000 items, is well under way as it has been overwhelmingly welcomed by both Thais and Indians. More than 5,000 items have been delivered so far.
The actor was one of the driving forces of "Journey Along The Footsteps Of Buddha", an event which encompassed a photo exhibition featuring famous and unseen Buddhist sites in eight Indian states and talks on Buddhism, as well as Buddhist arts conservation. It drew a huge crowd of both laymen and monks. It was part of celebrations marking 70 years of diplomatic ties between Thailand and India. Malik's project is also in line with the Indian government's policy to promote Buddhist tourism.
Malik is encouraging Thais to visit sacred places to see with their own eyes. He has also built a meditation centre in a spiritual park in Nagpur in Maharashtra, which is open to people of all religions. Meditation is a tool for peace of mind and enlightenment, which is the core of the Lord Buddha's teachings.
He wants as many people to embrace dhamma, which in his view is a treasure.
"Dhamma is a truth of life."
Sri Siddhartha Gautama is now available on YouTube.
