Ian Nene, also known as Almasi, revealed his transition from Christianity to Hinduism.
He discussed being brought up in a Christian household where questioning religious beliefs was considered taboo, despite grappling with numerous unanswered questions about faith and religion as a whole.
"When I entered university, I was living a wild party life, yet still maintaining a connection with a friend who dealt with weed. We would often smoke and engage in deep conversations," revealed Almasi.
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"Out of the blue, during one of our chill sessions, he hands me a book. He mentioned he was a monk, and though I didn't fully grasp it, he assured me that reading the book would bring about some realizations. He handed me the book along with a bag for a guitar. As I glanced at the back of the guitar bag, I noticed a picture of one of our founders, though I didn't comprehend it at that time," added the actor.
The actor from Machachari shared that his spiritual journey began to unfold when he enrolled in university in the UK. During this time, a friend who dealt with weed gave him a book obtained from a monk.
The 'Zen' actor explained that the book had a profound impact on his life, altering his path. This experience heightened his appetite for profound spirituality, leading him to seek more than what Christianity could provide.
The actor also described how, upon returning home for the holidays, his mother shared the news of her cancer diagnosis with him. Feeling lost and overwhelmed, he turned to smoking weed as a way to numb his pain.
"My mother informed me that the doctors diagnosed her with stage four breast cancer. I am very attached to my mother. She single-handedly raised me, and my father was never present in my life," he disclosed.
"As her condition worsened, I turned to getting even higher. I questioned God, wondering why He would allow my mother to suffer. I asked, 'If you truly exist, why do you permit bad things to happen to good people? My mother serves everyone, extending her help even beyond our community, yet she is the one facing cancer,'" Ian expressed.
Crediting a Facebook post as instrumental in his current spiritual journey, the actor shared that a friend's post featuring a serene 'zen' looking lady with certain markings inspired his conversion.
"I couldn't comprehend it. While scrolling on Facebook, I came across a picture of a lady with distinctive marks on her face. She exuded a peaceful aura, and the post was shared by one of my old friends," he explained.
"I received an invitation to a temple, and there, I began learning. They addressed my questions with profound and scientific explanations, delving into how God orchestrates the world and responding to many technical inquiries," he continued.
"Instantly, I adopted a vegetarian lifestyle. Upon returning to the UK, I met monks who guided me to a temple. I spent a significant amount of time there, especially during holidays, and dedicated even more focused time to it after completing my studies," he added.
