Prem Sanyas

Infobox Film
name = Prem Sanyas (The Light of Asia)


image_size = 200px
caption = Seeta Devi as "Gopa" in Prem Sanyas (The Light of Asia) 1925
director = Franz Osten
Himansu Rai
producer = Great Eastern Film Corporation
Münchner Lichtspielkunst AG
writer = Edwin Arnold (story)
Niranjan Pal (screenplay)
narrator =
starring = Seeta Devi
Himansu Rai
Sarada Ukil
music = Hansheinrich Dransmann
cinematography = Willi Kiermeier
and Josef Wirsching.
editing =
distributor = Münchner Lichtspielkunst AG
Great Eastern Film Corporation
released = 22 October 1925 (Germany)
5 July 2001 (restored version)
runtime = 97 min
country = Germany & India
language =
colour = B&W.
budget =
format = Standard 35mm spherical 1.37:1
gross =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
imdb_id = 0016240
website =

"Prem Sanyas" (The Light of Asia) ("Die Leuchte Asiens" in German) was 1925 silent film, directed by Franz Osten and Himansu Rai. It was film adapted from the book, "The Light of Asia" (1879) in verse, by Edwin Arnold, based on the life of Prince "Gautama Buddha", who after enlightenment became the Buddha, the learned one..

Production

The film had Indo-European co-production [ [http://movies.nytimes.com/movie/238733/The-Light-of-Asia/overview Overview] "New York Times".] , with German technicians and Indian actors, and managed to steer clear of usual exotic depiction Indian culture by western film makers till then. It was made with the cooperation of the Maharajah of Jaipur and a cast of thousands, it was shot in Lahore, Pakistan, where the set decoration by Devika Rani, wife of Himanshu Rai, and a noted actress. The film was released in the USA by Film Arts Guild on 11 May 1928.

ynopsis

A tale from India about the origin of the Buddha. Prem Sanyas depicts the story of Prince Siddhartha Gautama, the man who became the Buddha, portrayed by Himansu Rai, who journeys from privilege and seclusion to awareness of the inevitability of life's suffering, renouncing his kingdom to seek enlightenment.

Restoration and release

The film was restored by the 'European cultural channel Arte', and released in 2001 [ [http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/movies/homevideo/15dvds.html?_r=1&oref=slogin ‘A Throw of Dice’ and Summer Serials] "New York Times", July 15, 2008.] .

Cast

* Seeta Devi: "Gopa"
* Himansu Rai: "Gautama"
* Sarada Ukil: "King Suddhodhana"
* Rani Bala: "Queen Maya"
* Profulla Roy

See also

*List of films made in Weimar Germany

References

External links

*
* [http://www.silentfilm.org/2005festival/premsanyas/schedule.htm silentfilm.org]
* [http://www.spicevienna.org/showMovie.php?m=10560 "Prem Sanyas"] at [http://www.spicevienna.org SPICE]