All We Imagine as Light is a visually stunning introspective film by Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia.
Since its release, the film has garnered significant acclaim, winning the Grand Prix at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival and earning a Special Mention for the Prix des Cinémas Art et Essai. It has also received two Golden Globe nominations for Best Motion Picture in a Non-English Language and Best Director.
Prabha (Kani Kusruthi) and Anu (Divya Prabha) are immigrant nurses from Kerela, working in a hospital in Mumbai. Prabha‘s husband moves to Germany soon after their arranged marriage. Despite not having any communication with her husband for over a year, Prabha still rejects any advances from a doctor claiming her marital status. Anu is more outgoing, and has a secret affair with a Muslim boy, often unsure of who to trust with this secret, fearing judgement.
Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam) forms a strong friendships with Prabha while working as a cook at the hospital where Prabha and Anu work. Prabha tries to help Parvaty fight a case against a greedy builder who wishes to demolish her house that she’s lived in most of her life and since the passing of her husband. She fears losing not just her home, but also her identity.
Set against the chaotic backdrop of Mumbai, All We Imagine as Light intricately weaves together the stories of three immigrant women navigating loneliness, self-discovery, and survival in a bustling metropolis. Kapadia’s observational storytelling captures the city’s pulse with a poetic sensibility, focusing on intimate moments and the subtle nuances of human connection. The narrative unfolds as a slow burn, drawing viewers into the inner worlds of its characters and the rhythms of their everyday lives.
While the film’s contemplative pace might not resonate with everyone, its visual brilliance and the nuanced performances of the lead actors make it an unforgettable cinematic experience. The muted palette of blues and greys reflect the emotional tone of All We Imagine as Light, creating a sense of calm amidst the unease generated by the vulnerable silence and sometimes vocal discomfort of its characters.
All We Imagine as Light offers a poignant reflection on the human condition, exploring the hopes, fears, and desires of those who call Mumbai home. Through its subtle storytelling, the film portrays the inhumane but relentless spirit of the city, humbling its characters and reducing their personal struggles to mere whispers in the vast cacophony of urban immigrant life. We get glimpses of subtle inequalities, tender and sometimes harsh societal judgements, religious and caste based tensions. Yet, in these quiet tension lies its greatest strength – its ability to capture the profound yearning for connection, a yearning that is at once heartbreaking and life-affirming.
Visually, All We Imagine as Light is a masterpiece. Its cinematography beautifully captures both the intimate and the chaotic, with dark yet striking compositions that highlight the characters’ emotional landscapes. A turning point comes midway through the film, when shades of yellow finally break through the subdued blues. This visual shift accompanies the women’s escape from the suffocating city to the seaside village home of one protagonist, marking a moment of tentative hope and renewal.
And this probably is why the movie might never get a full release in India. Writer and director Payal Kapadia isn’t one to shy away from speaking up against the establishment or narratives of discrimination. She was reprimanded at her Alma mater, the Film and Television Institute of India for speaking up against nepotism and appeasement of the far right factions of the government. But that hasn’t stopped her from winning awards and collecting accolades for her documentaries and now this cinematic masterpiece.
As I grow tired of mainstream Indian cinema’s male-driven narratives, All We Imagine as Light boldly centres its story on women, exploring themes often overlooked by Bollywood and other leading Indian film industries. Its tale lingers long after the credits roll, leaving me to reflect on the complexities of my own immigrant experiences, yearning for a sense of belonging, and combating loneliness in a city that rarely lets you call it ‘home’.
All We Imagine as Light is in cinemas Boxing Day.