Fed up of Dilip's involvement with gold digging actress Nayantara, Dilip's uncle pretends to be gravely ill in hopes of guilting him into marrying a decent girl. Dilip convinces reluctant Kiran to pretend to be his fiancée. Dilip and Kiran soon fall in love, and Nayantara decides to intervene.
Living an indolent life in a luxurious palace, Prince Gautama (Rai) is insulated by his family from the harshness of the world outside. But he is destined to learn greater truths: shocked to discover the pain and suffering of so many in his kingdom, he abandons his privileged existence, and his wife Gopa (Seeta Devi), to become a wandering teacher, eventually finding enlightenment and founding Buddhism. Featuring superimposed images and deep-focus shots that were highly impressive for the time, Light of Asia astutely combines a deeply felt spirituality with the surefire attraction of Indian exotica, which helped make it a considerable success in Europe.
