Himansu Rai Film

Two neighboring kings addicted to gambling, Ranjit and his cousin Sohat, vie for the same beautiful young woman, Sunita, daughter of the hermit Kanwa.

A historical romance set in the Mughal Empire. A potter's son falls for the foundling girl he was raised alongside, unaware she carries royal blood. When slavers abduct her and sell her into the household of a Mughal prince, he follows her to the imperial court at Agra — risking his life to reach her, in a story that imagines the origins of the Taj Mahal.

Living an indolent life in a luxurious palace, Prince Gautama (Rai) is insulated by his family from the harshness of the world outside. But he is destined to learn greater truths: shocked to discover the pain and suffering of so many in his kingdom, he abandons his privileged existence, and his wife Gopa (Seeta Devi), to become a wandering teacher, eventually finding enlightenment and founding Buddhism. Featuring superimposed images and deep-focus shots that were highly impressive for the time, Light of Asia astutely combines a deeply felt spirituality with the surefire attraction of Indian exotica, which helped make it a considerable success in Europe.