Pastýř a princezna

Three suitors, three princes, vie for the hand of Princess Lejada. But she rejects them all. The offended suitors decide to punish the proud princess and offer her an unknown young man as a suitor of noble birth. But he is a poor shepherd who falls in love with the princess, and she with him. However, he must not reveal his true identity. He promises to remain silent and do as he is told. In the end, however, he confesses to the princess who he really is. This enrages the princes and suitors... The theme of the fairy tale is loosely based on a Hindu myth belonging to the field of Indian religious literature and dealing with the fates of gods and earthly heroes. The main character is the Hindu goddess Kali, a symbol of maternal instincts and cults. The second hero is her son, a young shepherd who, at the end of the fairy tale, takes his mother's name in her divine honor. The story takes place in India in the 6th century BC.

Directed by Věra Jordánová, Pastýř a princezna leans on a strong ensemble — Ivan Jiřík, Klára Kovaříková, Jana Hlaváčová — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about fantasy titles of 1993.