‘All We Imagine As Light’ Review: A Soulful Look at Mumbai

All We Imagine As Light is an original drama written and directed by Payal Kapadia.

The film narrates the story of Malayali nurses living together in Mumbai. 

These women include Prabha (Kani Kusruti), Anu (Divya Prabha), and Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam).

It is an intricate look into the bustling life of Mumbai, both from a nurse’s perspective and a feminist lens.

Championing the empowerment of women, coming-of-age, and survival, the film is an ode to Indian life.

The film was released in the UK on November 29, 2024, and is a unique and thought-provoking watch.

It has brilliant performances and great scenery at its core.

However, are you still wondering whether to invest your time in the film?

DESIblitz is here to help you decide if you should watch All We Imagine As Light or not.

A Stimulating Story

All We Imagine As Light is a tale of nurses who find comfort and strength in each other.

The upright Prabha misses her husband deeply following his migration to Germany. 

The more outgoing and carefree Anu lives with her, enjoying a secret affair with Shiaz (Hridu Haroon).

Prabha is being wooed by a doctor named Manoj (Azees Nedumangad). 

However, Prabha won’t reciprocate his feelings due to her marriage. 

Meanwhile, Prabha and Anu help their hospital cook, Parvaty, in her relocation to her village.

Shiaz discreetly follows Anu, and they resume their affair. 

The story is sluggish at times, and the screenplay requires the audience to give their full attention lest they miss a single detail, which could lead to confusion.

However, the crispiness of the script works as the scenes spread across Mumbai, giving viewers a distinctive feel to the city.

When we move to Parvaty’s village, the gorgeous visuals captivate the viewer, imbuing the film with light and warmth.

Anu’s joie de vivre, Prabha’s strength, and Parvaty’s relatability all make you care for the film, hoping for a positive resolution.

It is the trials and tests of the characters that keep you invested in this heartwarming story, which stays with you long after you’ve left your seat.

In the village, a cruel and difficult surprise awaits Prabha, which could throw the dynamics into disarray.

How she deals with this underlines the themes of All We Imagine As Light, delighting the audience, who want these women to be peaceful.

Spellbinding Performances

If the performances in All We Imagine As Light were lacking, the film would have collapsed under its iconography.

However, the phenomenal acting is the jewel of the film, which helps the viewers stay engrossed in every scene.

Kani Kusruti is magnificent as the conflicted yet resolute Prabha, employing hard-hitting dialogue delivery and genuine emotion in everything she does.

Kani finds Prabha’s frailty. This is a woman who has faced heartbreak before love truly happened. This twisting contrast makes her stern.

Yet, when Prabha softens, as shown in scenes shared with patients or Anu, she is someone all of us can relate to.

Kani delivers a career-defining performance.

Divya Prabha is equally gratifying as Anu. This young woman is in the midst of love. For her, Shiaz means the world.

Her attitude is charming and humorous. Divya makes us feel that we all know an Anu or have been one.

In a scene where Anu and Prabha receive a rice cooker, Anu exclaims: “It looks so international!”

Anu utters this line with such childlikeness that we instantly connect to her and these people living in Mumbai.

In an interview, Divya talks about her character. 

She says: “Anu expresses a lot with her lips, but the way she kisses is not my kind of kissing.

“Anu is very young and spontaneous, very instinctive.”

Her onscreen chemistry with Hridhu Haroon is electrifying but underplayed. Their romance is not a stereotypical passionate one of Indian films. 

It is gentile, poetic, and daring. The film is also aided by a fantastic Chhaya Kadam, whose eccentric exterior masks a caring and emotionally wounded woman.

These are three women laid low by life. The film capitalises on how they rise above their circumstances while embracing all they have been given.

Direction & Execution

In the aforementioned interview, Kani divulges working with Payal Kapadia on the film.

Describing Payal’s working style, Kani explains: “There is not a single moment or thing [on screen] that has not been approved by Payal.

“[Payal] is more like a designer or artist that way, or an author who is very much paying careful attention to her work.”

This sense of art and meticulous attention is visible in every scene of All We Imagine As Light. 

The poetic loneliness of this film will connect to the audience in memorable ways.

However, what lets the film down is the slow pacing of the movie.

All We Imagine As Light can make the audience feel restless in places.

The slow dialogues, the measured camerawork, and, at times, the unapparent happenings make the viewers scratch their heads.

However, the film always brings it back. This is an intricate and soulful movie that contains breathtaking cinematography.

It captivates and enchants. Payal has undeniably scored well with this film. 

In an interview, Payal admits: “For me, my films reflect the questions I have about society and the relationships we accept or reject.”

This film raises questions about Indian society. We have a woman whose beliefs are ingrained in the sanctity of marriage.

We also see a young woman desperate to lose her virginity and to defy all odds with her love.

All We Imagine As Light is a riveting portrayal of women whose biggest strength is their unity.

Payal creates a remarkable world with compelling characters and a rich story about poor individuals.

Although the film is slow and sluggish in places, the message of it never wavers. It treads its track majestically and unforgettably. 

At the 77th Cannes Film Festival in 2024, All We Imagine As Light won the Grand Prix and was the first Indian film to compete in the main competition since 1994.

It’s a fine piece of cinema which encompasses great performances and a soulful message.

So, grab some popcorn and share this sublime vision of Mumbai and Indian society through the eyes of courageous women.