‘All We Imagine As Light’ Movie Review: ‘Spirit of Mumbai’ Gets a Poignant Reality Check in Payal Kapadia’s Beautifully Haunting Film (LatestLY Exclusive)

All We Imagine as Light Movie Review: It is truly cruel to see Mumbai as merely a city of high-rise towers when the beating heart of the place lies beyond the skyscrapers - in a world that's being encroached upon to make way for these tall buildings and their artificial beautifications. As a character says in All We Imagine as Light, it is this world and its inhabitants that have built Mumbai: the labourers, the immigrants who leave their native towns seeking livelihoods, the hopeful aspirants, and the romantics. Payal Kapadia’s Grand Prix-winning film even begins by giving the immigrants a voice, setting the stage for its serene and poignant story of love, friendship, and companionship. All We Imagine as Light Review: Payal Kapadia’s Directorial Premieres at Cannes 2024; Critics Praise It As ‘A Glorious Film.

All We Imagine as Light revolves around two Malayali nurses - Prabha (Kani Kusruti) and Anu (Divya Prabha) - who work in a government hospital in Mumbai and share a flat. Despite living together, the two are starkly different. Prabha is reserved and diligent in her work, with a perpetual sadness hovering over her. Anu, on the other hand, is playful and irreverent. Their relationship feels less like friendship and more like a sibling dynamic, with Prabha looking out for Anu’s best interests, or that's what she thinks.

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Prabha shares her vulnerabilities not with Anu but with Parvathy (Chhaya Kadam), the hospital’s cafeteria attendant. Parvathy is grappling with the threat of eviction from her home at the hands of an unscrupulous builder and his goons.

'All We Imagine as Light' Movie Review - Of Love, Loneliness and Companionship

For these three women, loneliness and companionship take on different meanings. Parvathy, a widow, embraces her solitude fully, even thumbing down the idea of living with her son and his family in her desperate situation. Prabha, on the other hand, suffers from loneliness imposed on her when her husband moves to Germany and ceases contact for over a year. Her yearning for intimacy and connection is heartbreakingly evident in a scene where she hugs a rice cooker - a gift from her husband - for comfort. Is it a sign of hope or an implicit message to move on? This uncertainty leaves her reluctant to reciprocate the interest of a kind Malayali doctor (Azeez Nedumangad) at her hospital. All We Imagine As Light Wins Grand Prix Award at Cannes 2024: Netizens Heap Praise on Payal Kapadia and Her Team for the Remarkable Feat, Call the Win ‘Historic’.

For Anu, companionship exists but is fraught with challenges. Her parents pressure her to marry, sending photos of potential grooms. She can’t tell them about her Muslim boyfriend, Shiaz (Hridhu Haroon), with whom she always seeks out furtive moments and spots to make out, but they never get fully intimate. A scene where their plan to meet at Shiaz’s uncle’s house goes awry encapsulates her frustration over the lack of sexual fulfilment in her relationship.

'All We Imagine as Light' Movie Review - Stark Depiction of Mumbai

The bustling city of Mumbai allows no time for these characters to dwell on their emotional crises. Payal Kapadia captures the city’s relentless pace, juxtaposing its nearly uncaring nature against the struggles of its inhabitants. From waterlogged trains to land encroachment, life moves on. As Parvathy poignantly observes, this isn’t a city of dreams but a maya nagri - a city of illusions. It entices you but refuses to embrace you fully. The film’s portrayal of Mumbai, seen through the lens of someone who truly understands its essence, avoids romanticising the glimmering lights, while its vibrant nature and sleepless attitude are starkly captured in Ranabir Das’s nearly documentary-style cinematography (the movie is shot in 1.66:1 aspect ratio).

In the second half, All We Imagine as Light offers the city and its three main characters a brief respite from each other as they travel to Parvathy’s village in coastal Maharashtra. Away from the urban chaos, Prabha and Anu (who is followed by Shiaz) find the mental space to confront their fears, question their realities, and address their repressions. Kapadia intriguingly incorporates a touch of mysticism in one particular sequence, leaving the audience to ponder its meaning. Once you figure that out, it is hard not to smile when the film culminates with a beautiful sense of closure, as the characters come together in calmness, elevated by an exquisite musical score. Kiran Rao’s ‘Laapataa Ladies’ or Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine As Light’? Netizens Furiously Debate India’s 2025 Oscar Entry Choice.

'All We Imagine as Light' Movie Review - Brilliant Performances

The performances are uniformly outstanding. Kani Kusruti and Divya Prabha inhabit their roles so convincingly that their characters feel lived-in. Kusruti masterfully conveys Prabha’s hidden pain and fear of vulnerability through subtle expressions, especially her eyes. Prabha, in turn, balances youthful abandon with the quiet anxiety of an uncertain future. Chhaya Kadam, as always, imbues her role with authenticity, portraying a woman whose sense of belonging in the city is precariously tied to a few legal papers. Hridhu Haroon, who recently earned acclaim for Mura, is effective as the lovelorn Shiaz, while Azeez Nedumangad makes his limited screen time count.

'All We Imagine as Light' Movie Review - Final Thoughts

In All We Imagine as Light, Payal Kapadia weaves an evocative magical tale that captures the fragility of human connections amidst the relentless churn of a city like Mumbai. By grounding the narrative in the lives of ordinary women navigating loneliness, love, and longing, she creates a deeply personal yet universally resonant story with a touch of magical realism. The film doesn’t offer neat resolutions or easy answers but instead embraces the complexities of its characters and their worlds. Do not miss this if you yearn for meaningful cinema.

(The opinions expressed in the above article are of the author and do not reflect the stand or position of LatestLY.)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 22, 2024 09:27 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).