Who Am I? Actress Who Did 150 TV Shows, Hindi Films; Quit Showbiz To Become Sanyasi In Himalayas, Said 'Husband Has Freed Me'...Her Name Is

Actress Who Quit Showbiz To Become Sanyasi: In our 'Who Am I?' series today, we will know more about this popular television actress who has featured in several hit daily soaps and Bollywood films but quit the showbiz world in her pursuit to practice sanyaas. Set out for the Himalayas, she revealed back in her 2022 interview some shocking details about her decision and life ahead.

(Pic Courtesy: TV Show Stills/Instagram)

Famous actress Nupur Alankar has featured in as many as 150 hit daily soaps and many Bollywood films. In 2022, the former actress announced her decision to quit the showbiz world in her pursuit to practice sanyaas. Set out for the Himalayas, Nupur Alankar in her interview shocked her fans with the development in her personal and professional life.

Back in 2022, she told Times Of India in an interview, "I took sanyaas in February. I am busy visiting pilgrimages and have involved myself in helping those in need. I have always been inclined towards spiritualism and had been following adhyatm, so it was a matter of time before I devoted myself completely to it. I have been blessed to find the right guru Shambhu Sharan Jha, all thanks to my time at CINTAA (Cine and TV Artistes Association), where I worked as a committee member and held health workshops. It brought me contact with my guru and another master healer, which changed the course of my life."

"It is indeed a big step. Being in the Himalayas will uplift and accelerate my spiritual journey. I have rented out my flat in Mumbai to take care of my travel and basic expenses, " she added.

Talking about her actor husband Alankar Srivastava, Nupur said, "I didn’t have to ask. He knew where I was headed as I spoke with him once about wanting to take sanyaas. He has freed me and his family has also accepted my decision. I wish Alankar the best in life. It (marriage) was great till it lasted. We aren’t together though we haven’t taken the legal route for separation."

Nupur Alankar has featured in hit shows and films such as Shaktimaan, Ghar Ki Lakshmi Betiyaan, Bhaage Re Mann, Agle Janam Mohe Bitiya Hi Kijo, Diya Aur Baati Hum to name a few. She also featured in Raja Ji, Saawariya and Sonali Cable among others. 

She told Mumbai Mirror in a recent (2025) interview, “My days were spent travelling from one teerth to another, meditating and building a deeper connection with God. If I start naming every place, the list would be endless. Those three years were completely devoted to God and nothing else.”

She added, "Everyone sees things through their own lens. Maybe one day they will realise that my choice was never a phase. I do not miss Mumbai or the film industry. I worked for as long as I had to and got what I deserved. Life feels lighter now because I am finally where I am meant to be."

Nupur Alankar is now called Peetambra Maa. She told Mirror, “I feel blessed by a certain deity and carry her name now. It was given to me by my guruji, Shambhu Sharan Jha. There are some spiritual experiences we are not allowed to reveal, and this transformation is one of them. Peetambra is the name

of the deity of justice. I am here to guide people, to help them fight negativity and reconnect with the divine.”

She adds, “I am now a sevak of the divine and have come back to fulfil certain duties. The purpose of life, for everyone, is to merge with divinity, like a drop of water returning to the ocean. Naam jap karo. That is my message. Difficult times are ahead for humanity, and only naam jap will protect us. If I could transform myself in four years, anyone can. You just need to connect with the divinity within.”

About managing her daily expenses, she says, “It actually became easier after I stepped away from the material world. Earlier, there were bills, lifestyle costs, diets to maintain. During my time away, I managed with 10,000 to 12,000 rupees a month. There is also a practice called bhikshatan, which is observed a few times a year. I beg for alms and share that offering with God and my guru. It dissolves the ego. I live with four or five pairs of clothes. People who visit ashrams bring offerings, sometimes clothes too, and that is enough.”