"Caste" Your Fate to the Win

A Brief Review of the film, “The Cycle of Love”
John Bennison, Mountain Shadow Director

“And the seasons they go round and round
And the painted ponies go up and down
We’re captive on the carousel of time
We can’t return we can only look
Behind from where we came
And go round and round and round
In the circle game.”
The Circle Game, 1966 - singer/songwriter, Joni Mitchell [who just became a U.S. citizen, after living here “legally” for 60 years …]

In this true story, with young actors portraying his earlier life chapters, this docu-drama is narrated by PK, protagonist himself. His indelible birthmark is that of the “Harijan.” It is the lowest stratum of the Hindu caste system; who were traditionally considered “untouchables.” Curiously enough, the term translates as “children of God” (from hari for God, and jan for people or children). But Mahatma Gandhi popularized the term in the 1930s; in order to foster compassion and dignity for the lower classes of society, in general. Of course this makes this unlikely romantic tale even more remarkable.

Here are two take-away lines by the two main characters: Lotta: “I saw in the wheel the magic I was searching for.” And, P.K. observed when he discovered, “Strangers can become friends.” So ....

Films are often reviewed in terms of how they begin, progress and conclude. The filmmaker’s and producer’s notes of this film (below) portray a tenacious cyclist’s journey; with moments of touchng “communities” along the way.

But furthermore, the bi-cycle can be understood metaphorically as well. In the words of the singer/songwriter, the “carousel of time” is that ever-recurring life drama that just happens to be so beautifully depicted in “The Cycle of Love.” - jb

Producer’s Statement

This tale is a “narrative gem,” the type of true story rarely found. It is both a thrilling and entertaining adventure - a true battle against the odds - and a deeply inspiring and heartwarming tale of risking everything for what your heart tells you and the power of human kindness.

In an increasingly divided world consumed by distressing and divisive global events, LOVE might just be one of the few things that we can all agree on right now. It transcends borders, nationalities, languages and human divisions. We all need positive and deeply hopeful stories; narratives which focus on human beings’ best attributes and the ties that bind us rather than divide; narratives which focus on the power we have to build a positive future.

THE CYCLE OF LOVE tells the story of PK Mahanandia and Lotta Von Schedvin, and that of PK’s journey across the world by bicycle in search of true love. However, there were many challenges, specifically limited archive footage from an event that happened in the 1970s. But as storytellers, we loved how it pushed us to think in new ways. Not only did we want to use improvisation rather than scripts to enable a fully natural feel, which was the technique used with our incredible actors playing young PK and Lotta, Chirag Lobo and Mina Dale, but we explored a new, hybrid technique using real people playing themselves as well.

PK has talked extensively about how he was forever changed by the people he met along his journey from India to Sweden – largely by bicycle - and we worked to create an authentic portrayal of real-life events, even though they took place in the past. We believed that if we followed parts of PK’s original journey, we would meet real people and document conversations about their experiences of love, hopes, dreams, human connection - much as PK did in the 1970s. We thought this approach would allow us to capture the core essence of PK’s story, but also something timeless that spoke of our shared humanity.

And so together with PK himself, and the brilliant young actor, Chirag Lobo, playing his younger self, we embarked on an effort to retread parts of his journey. There were no scripts, just authentic conversations with real people telling their own true stories, and improvisations from the actor playing PK. The conversations that PK experienced so many years ago often moved him to tears as he watched them play out.

The story of PK’s cycle journey is an epic adventure filled with magic, but it also really moved me. His story covers such a rich tapestry of universal themes from love and destiny to the kindness of strangers and the idea of enduring hope. We also didn’t shy away from the more difficult parts of the story, including the discrimination PK faced as part of the caste system in India.