All We Imagine as Light

Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light may be one of the final films to make its bow at the Cannes Film Festival, but it may also may be among the best. A dreamy tale of thwarted romance set in Mumbai, it tells the story of three nurses living and working in Mumbai after moving into the city from outside.

The elder Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam) has lost her husband and faces eviction from her home of 22 years due to a new property development. Roommates Prabha (Kani Kusruti) and Anu (Divya Prabha) have romantic problems of a different nature. The prim and taciturn Prabha is in a loveless arranged marriage to a man now living in Germany who she hasn’t spoken to for over a year. Anu, meanwhile, is in a much-gossiped-about inter-faith romance with her Muslim boyfriend Shiaz (Hridu Haroon).

It’s Kapadia’s direction that takes centre stage, cutting away from the characters for lingering flowing shots of Mumbai that add emotional resonance to the story. As a result, we see the bustling megacity as if through the eyes of those who live there – often half-built, vibrant and able to swallow you whole. At its heart, it’s about the difficulty of women finding love, happiness and independence in a society that expects them to abide by certain rules.

Kurusti is probably the standout as Prabha – a strong woman who has been made deeply miserable by adhering to moral expectations she still holds dear. One heart-rendering moment sees her receive a rice bowl from her absentee husband – but no letter or phone call, meaning the women can only guess his intentions. Is he looking to make amends or buy her off? Her relationship acts as a contrast and a warning to Anu about her own future. She and Anu are typically besotted young lovers – but cannot consummate their relationship without tipping off parents liable to ban them from seeing each other.

The feature’s touching and emotional denouement comes when the trio take a trip to help Parvaty return to their own village. Prabha, in particular, gains a degree of closure from a miraculous, dream-like event. The mood, though, is still one of uncertainty over the future and whether each will be able to find the happiness they deserve.

With All We Imagine as Light Kapadia has made an astonishingly poignant and moving film – it’s a rare one that holds sadness at its core but is a treat to watch.

Mark Worgan

All We Imagine as Light does not have a UK release date yet.

Read more reviews from our Cannes Film Festival 2024 coverage here.

For further information about the event visit the Cannes Film Festival website here.