Machachari Actor Almasi Discloses Never Paying Bills At Monastery: "Everything Was Taken Care Of"

• Ex-Machachari actor Almasi, aka Ian Nene, said he only started paying his bills a year ago when he left the monastery
• Almasi stated whenever he needed something like food or clothes, all he did was ask for it, and it was provided
• The former actor disclosed he discovered Hinduism when his mother was diagnosed with cancer, and he was battling depression

Former Machachari actor Ian Nene, known by his character Almasi, has disclosed that he lived with monks at a monastery for a long time.

Almasi's life with monks

Speaking on the Motive podcast, Almasi disclosed that all his needs were cared for at the monastery for free.

As a matter of fact, he says he only started paying bills like other people a year ago when he moved to the UK and started working.

"When you are living in the monastery you don't have to think about bills. You don't have any bills first of all. All that is taken care of. Your food is taken care of, your clothing is taken care of, your basic needs...your toothpaste, your soap," he said.

However, he clarified that people were required to serve in one way or another based on what they were good at.

Some people reared animals, and others gardened, but for him, it was doing university programmes where he would have spiritual conversations with people.

Notably, it was around this time that the Krishna Consciousness Society 2021 announced on social media that Almasi would be leading Bhagavad Gita Sanga sessions weekly.

"You don't have to pay, but you basically have to commit to doing service and so how the temples work is based on your nature; you find an intensity that suits your personality," he elaborated.

Almasi explained that during his stay at the monastery, he was never once worried about where to get food or clothing.

Whenever he needed something, he would talk to his leader, and it would be provided.

He said that once he started working, he acquired a newfound respect for people who had been paying bills all their lives because he realised just how hard it was.

"When you come outside and are living in the real world, you have to figure it all out by yourself," he added.

Despite having left the monastery, Almasi is still all about Hinduism.

Almasi joins the Hare Krishna movement

Recently, he was officially initiated into the Krishna movement.

He shared pictures of the initiation ceremony in July 2023 at the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)- in London.

The videos shared on YouTube by the institution showed Almasi seated at the far end on the front line with other people going through the same class.

"Alright. I guess we did it," he captioned on his Instagram page.