Pardesi (1957)

In the 1460s, Afanasy Nikitin, a merchant from Tver, sets out on a long and dangerous journey across Persia and the Arabian Sea, and becomes one of the first Europeans to write about India. The film follows him into the Bahmani lands of the Deccan, where he learns the customs of a country entirely strange to him, makes friends among the local people, and falls quietly in love with Champa, a village girl played by Nargis. Pardesi ("foreigner"), also known as Journey Beyond Three Seas, was the first co-production between India and the Soviet Union, co-directed by K. A. Abbas and Vasili Pronin and made in Hindi and Russian versions. It was shot in colour on locations in both countries, with music by Anil Biswas, and was shown in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. A rare, handsome period film about cultural friendship.