In this film, young Ram is a thinker who has grown up in a primitive and superstitious society, hated by his brothers and suspected of sorcery. Dissatisfied with the nomadic lifestyle of his family, he dreams of traveling to
Egypt to study
agriculture. Forewarned by his weather knowledge, he saves the family's flocks from a destructive
sandstorm, and manages to persuade his father to let him leave for Egypt. His older brothers travel with him, but at the shipping dock they tie him up, knock him out, and dump him into the hold of a boat traveling to Egypt. When he wakes up, he is discovered by the boat owner family, who intend to sell him as a slave. They let Ram know that this sale would be his opportunity to enter the service of a powerful family, since the man they wish to sell him to, Ozir, is assistant to Amihar, the military head of Thebes. Ram actively participates in the bargaining to get the best possible price for his purchase. His initial months as a slave are a disappointment, however, since he is assigned to assist in the mummification of bodies rather than learning about agriculture. Ram is not afraid to express his contempt for the Egyptian obsession with death and the preservation of one's mortal remains, and affirms his belief in one God and the
immortality of the soul independent of one's body. Amihar is impressed by Ram's honesty, takes a personal liking to the young man, and gives Ram a chance to convert a barren stretch of land into a working farm. Through a combination of hard work, good mentoring, and a bit of luck, Ram is successful in this endeavor. Ram becomes caught up in an intertwined mesh of sexual, political, and religious intrigues. Ram's relationship with Simihit and Amihar is far more complex than in the Biblical version of the story. Amihar is a
eunuch, a former harem guard. His marriage to Simihit, former princess of a vanquished nation, was at first simply a political maneuver, but he later came to care deeply for her. Ram catches the eye of Simihit. As in the Bible, when Simihit is caught after making advances towards Ram, she tries to cover her tracks by accusing Ram of attempted
rape. Amihar does not necessarily believe her. He asks Ram what happened, but Ram steadfastly defends Simihit's honor, leaving Amihar no choice but to have him thrown into prison. Simihit is deeply affected by Ram's willingness to accept prison rather than reveal her attempted infidelity and relents of her accusation, confessing the truth. After Ram's release, he becomes involved in a power struggle between the wealthy followers of Amun, chief of the traditional
Egyptian pantheon,
versus the oppressed followers of
Aten, god of the monotheistic
Atenist heresy. Although Simihit is a priestess of Amun, she is a secret convert to the Cult of Aten. Throughout these troubles, Ram is fiercely loyal to both Simihit and Amihar, and his loyalty is rewarded by his release from slavery. Over the subsequent years, he rises in stature, takes an Egyptian wife, and becomes a trusted adviser to
Pharaoh. Severe famine strikes, and Joseph's brothers turn up asking for food. Ram toys with his brothers before revealing his identity, and they become reconciled. The movie ends with Ram and his family traveling back to his homeland and becoming reunited with his father. ==Technical details==