This is not just an ordinary story. It contains the teachings of the ancient sages, which are presented through an allegorical narrative combined with philosophy and bhakti. The characters of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana, Bharata, Hanuman and Ravana are integral parts of the cultural consciousness of India.

A Russian war correspondent is drafted into the war and finds himself in the middle of battle. When he loses his party card, however, he is treated as a deserter until he finds help from a kind man. This Soviet war feature was considerably outspoken for the time as it addressed issues such as anti-Stalinism, Siberia and the inhumanity of war. Adapting his screenplay from a book by Constantin Simonov, Alexandre Stolper was responsible for writing as well as directing.