All We Imagine as Light

The dreamy score that meanders throughout this freewheeling film, played on sombre images that evoke nostalgic despair, is a pleasure to watch. I was more fascinated by the makers' attention to detail in carving out a Bombay that goes against the popular image and instead shows you its cloying nature. Three women find it difficult to navigate their lonely lives in the city as the camera follows them in public places and into their privacy. I was able to relate to the characters, having lived in Bombay for decades, but the film does go a bit haywire towards the end, and you could blame it on me I lost track there. Overall, a good experience, thanks to the soundtrack and good use of textual design (especially the red font).

(Watched at its Bombay premiere at the 2024 MAMI Mumbai Film Festival.)

A powerfully melancholic & profoundly intimate slice of social realism that's further bolstered by outstanding performances from its trio of ladies, All We Imagine As Light is as perceptive as it is patient, as vociferous in its silence as it is contemplative in its portrait and is as expertly crafted as it is sensibly told, thus announcing the arrival of a bold & fresh creative voice from the Indian filmmaking scene.

Written & directed by Payal Kapadia in her feature film debut, the film is an earnest reflection of everyday life in the bustling cosmopolitan that is Mumbai and makes for a sobering observation of the confines & constraints within which women of Indian society exist. Kapadia takes her time to acquaint us with her characters, gives them ample space to breathe and shows their plight & desires with tenderness.

What stands out about Kapadia's direction is the compassion in the sketching of her characters and gentleness with which each scene is shot. The cinematography is breathtaking, illuminating the rain-drenched, dimly-lit streets & spaces of the city in gorgeous colour palette, with camera angles that add to its mesmerising quality while additional enrichment comes from the excellent performances, evocative score & layered depths.

Overall, All We Imagine As Light inclines more towards an arthouse endeavour than mainstream offering and isn't going to satisfy every palate. The first half of the film is thoroughly riveting but once the setting changes from Mumbai to the beach town, the story slows down considerably & its runtime is deeply felt too despite the closure it brings. Ruminating on womanhood, loneliness, female desire & insecurities, Kapadia's film is a poetic meditation on migrant life in modern India.

I have a profound appreciation for directors who possess this inherent ability to extract moments of intrigue from the monotonous aspects of life.

These filmmakers can illuminate even the most repetitive daily activities in a fresh manner, all while weaving narratives that delve deeper into complexities of human psychology and interpersonal relationships.

Payal Kapadia is one amongst them.

Her exploration of a wife's tiring loneliness, a young woman's sexual desires, and an elderly woman's struggle to leave her beloved home presents three women in circumstances that test their morals, challenge their upbringing, and, most importantly, confront their flawed perspectives.

While I admire Kapadia's narrative prowess, it is evident that the themes she addresses lack sufficient depth for development. The notable absence of conflict restricts the potential for these stories to evolve into something more substantive.

Not suggesting they didn't bear any fruits, but looking at the subjects being discussed, I had hoped for better.

Mumbai, one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the country, is home to Prabha and Anu, two working nurses. The multicultural air of the city is evident in the movie's opening scene, which has voiceovers in Bengali, Hindi, and Marathi from Mumbai locals. With material shot in a documentary format, the movie begins with a busy Mumbai that captures the daily bustle of a metropolis home to 22 million people. Voice-overs from real labourers who have moved to Mumbai in quest of employment are mixed with the colourful cityscape.

Prabha and Anu, who both work at a busy hospital, Prabha as the chief nurse and Anu as the receptionist, are the focus of the movie. The aspirations and hardships of migrants in Mumbai are embodied by both ladies. A hint of sadness is there in Prabha's tale; shortly after their marriage, her husband went to take a job in Germany, and they haven't spoken since. However, Anu is involved in a secret romantic affair with a young Muslim guy, which is obvious to attract criticism from her family, along with social pressures and Islamophobia, even in the most metropolitan city. Their personal lives and more general social themes are interwoven in the story. Through their shared poetry and peaceful walks back home from work, a fellow Malayali doctor who is struggling with Hindi offers Prabha a rare hope of tenderness and connection. In the meantime, Anu navigates the complexities of her interfaith relationship amidst increasing societal tensions under Modi's right-wing government.

The film by Kapadia is a criticism on the socioeconomic struggles that the working class in India faces. The subplot featuring Parvaty, a hospital cook facing eviction from her own home where she has lived for ages because she lacks the necessary documents, highlights the grim reality of the nation's recent political changes. Kapadia uses a cinematic style that is both personal and wide-ranging. The gentler scenes in the movie, like Prabha reading poetry by torch or getting intimate with a rice cooker her husband sent her, contrast with Mumbai's cacophony.

In the third act of the movie, the story moves from the hustle and bustle of the city to the peace and quiet of rural India. This shift provides an escape from the grind of daily living. Prabha's fantasy scene, in which she finds a castaway on a beach and saves him, represents her desire for a fresh start and human connection.

Quiet and fragile, 'All We Imagine as Light' delicately unfolds life in Mumbai, capturing the solitude of its protagonists in a city full of movement. The film beautifully juxtaposes the stillness of personal struggles against the relentless pace of urban life, creating an intimate yet universal portrait of longing and resilience. However, while the storytelling is subtle and poetic, it lacks a true climax, leaving certain narrative threads unresolved. Despite this, the film's delicate atmosphere, compelling performances, and evocative cinematography make it a poignant, meditative experience that lingers beyond the screen.