
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.