Samsara (2001): Cast, Box Office & Plot
Samsara is a 2001 romantic drama directed by Pan Nalin, starring Shawn Ku as Tashi, Christy Chung Lai-Tai and Tenzin Tashi. It runs 2 hours 18 minutes and earned $3.3 million worldwide.
What Is Samsara About?
The premise of Samsara without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A love story situated in the Himalayas. A Buddhist monk can’t choose between life and the way of the Buddha.
Samsara Themes & Keywords
· 43 tags- buddhist
- himalayas
- tibetan traditions
- ladakh
- love
- infidelity
- tibetan tradition
- sex scene
- jammu and kashmir
- tibetan
- skinny dipping
- public nudity
+31 more Show fewer
- nude bathing
- male rear nudity
- corporal punishment
- beating
- temptation
- prayer wheel
- prayer flag
- goat
- cave
- buddha
- tibet
- tibetan music
- tibetan monk
- tibetan dance
- buddhism
- spiritual healing
- zen
- independent film
- large breasts
- tibetan buddhist monk
- wheat farm
- home birth
- mountain farming
- seductress
- wedding
- female full frontal nudity
- naked female breasts
- female full rear nudity
- boy rear nudity
- boy skinny dipping
- boy
Samsara Cast & Characters
Shawn Ku leads the cast as Tashi, with Christy Chung Lai-Tai as Pema and Tenzin Tashi as Karma. Directed by Pan Nalin; 7 actors are credited in all.
- Director Pan Nalin
- Shawn Ku as Tashi
- Christy Chung Lai-Tai as Pema
- Tenzin Tashi as Karma
- Lhakpa Tsering as Dawa
Also Starring in Samsara
· 3 more- Neelesha Barthel Sujata
- Jampa Kalsang Tamang Wedding Singer
- Jamayang Jinpa Sonam
More from Pan Nalin
More films directed by Pan Nalin, best-rated first: Last Film Show, Ayurveda: Art of Being, Beyond the Known World and Angry Indian Goddesses.
Samsara Plot Summary
What happens in Samsara from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 13 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
From childhood, Tashi is drawn to the monastic path, beginning his training as a Buddhist monk at the age of five. Two decades pass before he emerges from a demanding three-year solitary meditation, earning the degree of khenpo from his rinpoche. Yet a private test follows as he begins to have wet dreams, and these experiences strain the relationships within the temple, challenging the routines and expectations of monastic life.
Full summary
The whole story of Samsara, scene by scene
Samsara Box Office
Samsara grossed $3.3 million worldwide.
Worldwide gross
$3.3M
- International
- $3.3M
Samsara Trailers & Videos
The trailer of Samsara.
How Well Do You Know Samsara?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
At what age did Tashi begin his training as a Buddhist monk?
Samsara Also Known As
9 alternative titles, including “轮回” and “Samsara – Geist und Leidenschaft”.
- Also known as
-
- 轮回
- Samsara – Geist und Leidenschaft
- 色戒
- סמסרה
- Самсара
- Szamszára
- Самсарa
- 삼사라
- “သံဿရာ”
Seen Samsara?
Movies Like Samsara
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Samsara, Samsara and Himalaya.
Samsara FAQ: Cast, Box Office & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, box office, post-credit scenes and language of Samsara, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Samsara?
Samsara runs 2 hours 18 minutes (138 minutes).
When was Samsara released?
Samsara was released on September 13, 2001.
Who directed Samsara?
Samsara was directed by Pan Nalin.
More films by Pan Nalin Who is in the cast of Samsara?
Samsara stars Shawn Ku as Tashi, Christy Chung Lai-Tai as Pema and Tenzin Tashi as Karma, among 7 credited actors.
How much did Samsara make at the box office?
Samsara grossed $3.3 million worldwide.
Does Samsara have a post-credit scene?
No. Samsara has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is Samsara in?
The original language of Samsara is Tibetan.
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