Priyanka Chopra’s The Cycle of Love Brings an Extraordinary True Love Story to the Screen

Priyanka Chopra Jonas is bringing a remarkable real-life romance to audiences with The Cycle of Love, a documentary centred on Indian artist P.K. Mahanandia and Swedish woman Lotta von Schedvin.

The film follows Mahanandia’s extraordinary journey from India to Sweden after the couple fell in love in the 1970s. Unable to afford a plane ticket, he eventually set out by bicycle, travelling thousands of miles to reunite with Lotta.

Chopra Jonas serves as an executive producer on the documentary, which is directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Orlando von Einsiedel. The film combines the couple’s personal story with a broader look at love, identity, perseverance and the barriers that can divide people.

What Is the Cycle of Love About?

The Cycle of Love tells the true story of P.K. Mahanandia, an artist from India who met Lotta von Schedvin while she was visiting Delhi in the 1970s.

Mahanandia was studying art and earned money by drawing portraits when Lotta approached him. Their meeting developed into a relationship despite the major differences in their backgrounds and the distance between India and Sweden.

After Lotta returned to Sweden, the couple faced the difficult reality of being separated by thousands of miles.

Mahanandia eventually decided to make the journey himself.

According to accounts of his story, he bought a second-hand bicycle and began travelling toward Sweden in 1977. The journey covered roughly 6,000 miles and took him through multiple countries before he reached his destination. Contemporary coverage of Mahanandia’s story has also reported that the journey took around 133 days.

Why Priyanka Chopra Joined the Documentary

For Chopra Jonas, the story offered more than an unusual romantic adventure.

The actress and producer became involved with The Cycle of Love as an executive producer. The film’s themes of cross-cultural relationships and finding connection despite differences also give the project a personal resonance for Chopra, whose own marriage to Nick Jonas crosses national and cultural backgrounds.

At the documentary’s New York premiere, Chopra spoke about what drew her to Mahanandia and Lotta’s relationship. She described their story as deeply heartwarming and said it felt like a bright moment in an otherwise difficult world.

The connection is not simply about romance, however. The documentary also explores how personal relationships can challenge social expectations and cultural boundaries.

Who Are P.K. Mahanandia and Lotta von Schedvin?

P.K. Mahanandia was an artist from Odisha who studied in Delhi and became known for making portrait drawings.

Lotta von Schedvin was a Swedish visitor who met him during her travels in India. Their relationship developed despite their very different backgrounds.

Mahanandia also faced discrimination because he was born into a Dalit family. That history became an important part of his life story and adds another dimension to the documentary beyond its romantic premise.

Rather than focusing only on the couple’s reunion, The Cycle of Love looks at how Mahanandia’s journey affected his understanding of himself, other people and the world around him.

The 6,000-Mile Journey From India to Sweden

The bicycle journey is the most extraordinary part of Mahanandia’s story.

After Lotta returned to Sweden, Mahanandia could not afford an international flight. Instead, he chose a far more difficult route: travelling by bicycle.

He carried basic supplies, including camping equipment and his art materials, and began the long journey from Delhi.

The trip took him across thousands of miles and multiple countries. Reports about his journey describe him travelling for months before eventually reaching Europe and reuniting with Lotta in Sweden.

The journey later became the subject of Per J. Andersson’s book The Amazing Story of the Man Who Cycled From India to Europe for Love, which helped bring the extraordinary account to a wider audience. The Cycle of Love adapts the story for the screen while featuring the real-life couple.

Orlando von Einsiedel Directs the film.

The documentary is directed by Orlando von Einsiedel, the filmmaker known for documentaries including The White Helmets and Virunga.

The project also features the real P.K. Mahanandia and Lotta von Schedvin, alongside actors Chirag Lobo and Mina Dale, who portray the couple during their younger years.

That combination allows the film to move between the couple’s present-day perspective and dramatised moments from their younger lives.

The filmmakers have also drawn on personal material and the couple’s own experiences to tell the story.

When Was The Cycle of Love Released?

The Cycle of Love began its U.S. theatrical release on August 28, 2026. Current film listings identify it as an English-language documentary with a runtime of approximately 98 minutes.

The film is also scheduled for a September 18, 2026, cinema release across the UK and Ireland, according to the film’s international release information.

Its New York premiere has placed the documentary in the spotlight ahead of its wider international rollout.

A Love Story That Goes Beyond Romance

At first glance, Mahanandia’s story sounds like a classic tale of a man crossing continents for the person he loves.

But the cycle of love goes further.

The documentary places the relationship within the social realities of the 1970s, including differences in nationality, class and caste. It also explores the personal determination that pushed Mahanandia to undertake a journey few people would consider possible.

That broader perspective is one reason the film has attracted attention beyond its romantic storyline.

For Chopra Jonas, the project also represents an opportunity to help bring an Indian story with international appeal to a wider audience.

Priyanka Chopra’s Role in the Film

Chopra Jonas is one of the documentary’s executive producers. The project is connected to her production company, Purple Pebble Pictures, alongside other production partners.

Her involvement is significant because she has increasingly worked across both acting and producing, particularly on projects with stories that can travel between Indian and international audiences.

With The Cycle of Love, her role is behind the camera rather than as an onscreen lead.

The emotional centre remains Mahananda and von Schedvin’s decades-long relationship.

Why The Cycle of Love Is Getting Attention

The documentary combines several elements that make the story unusual: a cross-cultural romance, a difficult journey across continents and a relationship that survived years of physical separation.

Most importantly, the story is based on real people.

The fact that Mahanandia actually attempted the journey by bicycle gives the film a distinctive foundation. His experience has already been documented through books and international reporting, while the documentary now introduces the story to a new audience through film.

For viewers interested in true stories, documentaries about extraordinary journeys or real-life romances, The Cycle of Love offers all three in one film.

The Bottom Line

The Cycle of Love turns P.K. Mahanandia and Lotta von Schedvin’s extraordinary relationship into a cinematic story about determination, cultural differences and enduring love.

With Priyanka Chopra Jonas serving as an executive producer and Orlando von Einsiedel directing, the documentary gives an international platform to a story that began with a chance meeting in Delhi and eventually led to a thousand-mile bicycle journey.

The film’s appeal ultimately goes beyond the distance Mahanandia travelled. It is about what he was willing to risk to reunite with someone he loved – and how that decision shaped the rest of their lives.