Sound of Joy

The narrative in Parikrama travels through multiple spaces and times, through parallel experiences of its twin protagonists that criss-cross each other, though they come from worlds apart. Alessandro is an Italian writer-filmmaker making a film on Narmada Parikrama, an age-old pilgrimage along the holy river Narmada. In the course of his cinematic journey, Alessandro meets a village boy, Lala, who fled home to secure dignity and land for his displaced peasant family. Lala is almost the same age as his son Francesco, who lost his mother in the recent past. The narrative unfolds the story of two boys, one without his mother, the other without his motherland. Alessandro’s narrative takes a new turn as the river Narmada flows by.

Set in 63 A.D. Rome under Emperor Nero, triumphant general Marcus Vinicius falls for Ligia, a Christian maiden whose faith and values challenge his world. Seeking help from his hedonistic uncle Petronius, whose own love for his slave Eunice leads him toward spiritual awakening, Vinicius navigates court intrigue and moral transformation in his pursuit of both Ligia’s heart and inner redemption.