Archive · 21 Aug 2026
The Cycle of Love Brings Delhi-to-Sweden Romance to New York
“The Cycle of Love” is a documentary about two people who fell in love.
P.K. Mahanandia was an Indian street artist from a poor Dalit family.
Lotta von Schedvin was a young Swedish woman who met him in Delhi in 1977.
After Lotta went back to Sweden, P.K. rode a bicycle thousands of miles to join her.
He crossed almost twelve countries during the trip.
The filmmakers visited places connected to the real story.
The actors did not use a fixed script, so many scenes were improvised.
The film says that people from different cultures can still connect through love.
The documentary “The Cycle of Love” premiered at the Directors Guild of America Theatre in Manhattan.
It follows Indian street artist P.K. Mahanandia and Swedish woman Lotta von Schedvin, who met in Delhi in 1977.
Mahanandia later cycled roughly 6,000 miles across nearly a dozen countries to reunite with von Schedvin in Sweden.
Director Orlando von Einsiedel used real locations and unscripted encounters with people along the journey.
The film explores love, caste, culture, faith and human connection, with Priyanka Chopra Jonas serving as an executive producer.
- Who
- Indian artist P.K. Mahanandia and Swedish woman Lotta von Schedvin are at the center of the story; the documentary was directed by Orlando von Einsiedel.
- What
- The documentary “The Cycle of Love” portrays their romance and Mahanandia’s bicycle journey from Delhi to Sweden.
- When
- Mahanandia and von Schedvin met in 1977; the documentary premiered in New York as described in the reports.
- Where
- The premiere took place at the Directors Guild of America Theatre in Manhattan, New York; the story spans India, Europe and Sweden.
- Why
- The filmmakers sought to explore the couple’s cross-cultural love story and the human connections formed during the journey.
- Film
- “The Cycle of Love”
- Director
- Orlando von Einsiedel
- Central figures
- P.K. Mahanandia and Lotta von Schedvin
- Meeting
- The couple met in Delhi in 1977, after von Schedvin asked Mahanandia to draw her portrait.
- Journey
- Mahanandia travelled about 6,000 miles by bicycle across nearly a dozen countries to reach Sweden.
- Premiere venue
- Directors Guild of America Theatre, Manhattan
- Executive producer
- Priyanka Chopra Jonas