Samsara (2001 film)
Encyclopedia
Samsara is a 2001
independent
India
n/Italian
/French
/German
film which tells the story of a Buddhist monk
's quest to find Enlightenment
. The film stars Shawn Ku
as the monk Tashi, and Christy Chung
as Pema. It was directed by Pan Nalin
and written by Pan and Tim Baker
.
The film's plot is reminiscent of the story of Vishvamitra and Menaka
.
Samsara was awarded "Audience Award for The Most Popular Film" by the 51st Melbourne International Film Festival
, among other awards from other festivals, and made it to top ten films in Italy and France.
A spiritual love-story set in the majestic landscape of Ladakh, Himalayas. Samsara is a quest; one man's struggle to find spiritual Enlightenment by renouncing the world. And one woman's struggle to keep her enlightened love and life in the world. But their destiny turns, twists and comes to a surprise ending..
Tashi (Shawn Ku
) has been raised as a Buddhist monk since age five. When he gets erotic phantasms as an adolescent, his spiritual master decides it's time to taste profane life, sending him on a journey in the real Himalayan world. Once he is told his hottest dream was real, Tashi decides to leave the monastery and marries Pema (Christy Chung
), the daughter of a rich farmer, who was actually engaged with local stonemason Jamayang (Kelsang Tashi). The ex-lama soon becomes a rich land-owner himself, and makes a killing from his harvest by bringing it to the city instead of selling at half price to the local merchant Dawa (Lhakpa Tsering), but half of his next harvest perishes in a fire, yet he comes through and raises a bright son, Karma (Tenzin Tashi). After committing infidelity, contemplated for years, and as he later hears from the promiscuous Indian labourer girl named Sujata (Neelesha BaVora), Tashi reconsiders his life.
2001 in film
The year 2001 in film involved some significant events, including the first of the Harry Potter series and also the first of The Lord of the Rings trilogy...
independent
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n/Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
/French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
/German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
film which tells the story of a Buddhist monk
Monk
A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, living either alone or with any number of monks, while always maintaining some degree of physical separation from those not sharing the same purpose...
's quest to find Enlightenment
Bodhi
Bodhi is both a Pāli and Sanskrit word traditionally translated into English with the word "enlightenment", but which means awakened. In Buddhism it is the knowledge possessed by a Buddha into the nature of things...
. The film stars Shawn Ku
Shawn Ku
Shawn Ku is a U.S. choreographer and motion picture director. He has also danced on Broadway, and acted in an independent feature-length film...
as the monk Tashi, and Christy Chung
Christy Chung
Christy Chung is Chinese-Canadian actress. She was born in Montreal to a Chinese father and a Vietnamese mother.Chung grew up in Brossard, Quebec, a suburb of Montreal, with French and Vietnamese as mother-tongues...
as Pema. It was directed by Pan Nalin
Pan Nalin
Pan Nalin is an Indian film director, screenwriter and documentary maker. Nalin is best known for directing award-winning films like Samsara, Valley of Flowers, and Ayurveda: Art of Being. His debut film, Samsara went on to win awards like "Grand Jury Prize - Special Mention" at AFI Fest and "Most...
and written by Pan and Tim Baker
Tim Baker
Tim Baker is an Australian journalist specialising in surf culture. He has twice received the Australian Surfing Hall of FameCulture Award, and is a former editor of Tracks and Australia's Surfing Life magazines...
.
The film's plot is reminiscent of the story of Vishvamitra and Menaka
Menaka
In Hindu mythology, Menaka is considered one of the most beautiful of the heavenly Apsaras.She was sent by Indra, the king of the Devas, to break the severe penance undertaken by Vishwamitra. She successfully incited Vishwamitra's lust and passion when he saw her swimming naked in a lake near a...
.
Samsara was awarded "Audience Award for The Most Popular Film" by the 51st Melbourne International Film Festival
Melbourne International Film Festival
The Melbourne International Film Festival is an acclaimed annual film festival held over three weeks in Melbourne, Australia. It was founded in 1951, making it one of the oldest in the World....
, among other awards from other festivals, and made it to top ten films in Italy and France.
A spiritual love-story set in the majestic landscape of Ladakh, Himalayas. Samsara is a quest; one man's struggle to find spiritual Enlightenment by renouncing the world. And one woman's struggle to keep her enlightened love and life in the world. But their destiny turns, twists and comes to a surprise ending..
Tashi (Shawn Ku
Shawn Ku
Shawn Ku is a U.S. choreographer and motion picture director. He has also danced on Broadway, and acted in an independent feature-length film...
) has been raised as a Buddhist monk since age five. When he gets erotic phantasms as an adolescent, his spiritual master decides it's time to taste profane life, sending him on a journey in the real Himalayan world. Once he is told his hottest dream was real, Tashi decides to leave the monastery and marries Pema (Christy Chung
Christy Chung
Christy Chung is Chinese-Canadian actress. She was born in Montreal to a Chinese father and a Vietnamese mother.Chung grew up in Brossard, Quebec, a suburb of Montreal, with French and Vietnamese as mother-tongues...
), the daughter of a rich farmer, who was actually engaged with local stonemason Jamayang (Kelsang Tashi). The ex-lama soon becomes a rich land-owner himself, and makes a killing from his harvest by bringing it to the city instead of selling at half price to the local merchant Dawa (Lhakpa Tsering), but half of his next harvest perishes in a fire, yet he comes through and raises a bright son, Karma (Tenzin Tashi). After committing infidelity, contemplated for years, and as he later hears from the promiscuous Indian labourer girl named Sujata (Neelesha BaVora), Tashi reconsiders his life.
External links
- Article on Pan Nalin Times of India