All We Imagine as Light is a 2024 Hindi-language drama directed by Payal Kapadia, a filmmaker acclaimed for her poetic realism and nuanced storytelling. The film, which made waves at international film festivals, is set in Mumbai and follows the intertwined lives of three women: Prabha, Anu, and Parvaty. With a cast led by Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, and Chhaya Kadam, the film explores themes of longing, friendship, displacement, and the quiet resilience of women navigating a bustling, unforgiving city.

Story and Plot Overview

Mumbai: The City That Never Sleeps

The film opens with a sensory portrait of Mumbai: the relentless sound of trains, the glow of neon lights, the press of crowds, and the small, private spaces where people carve out their lives. The city is both a backdrop and a character, shaping and reflecting the struggles and hopes of its inhabitants.

Prabha’s Story: Loneliness and Waiting

Prabha (Kani Kusruti) is a Malayali nurse in her thirties, living in a cramped apartment with her younger colleague Anu. Prabha’s life is defined by routine and solitude. Her husband, who lives in Germany, has not called her in over a year. She clings to the hope of his return, and when she receives a rice cooker from him, she treats it as a precious token of connection, even as it deepens her sense of longing.

Prabha’s days are filled with work at the hospital, where she is respected but emotionally distant. Her nights are quieter still, spent in contemplation and silent yearning. The film captures her isolation with subtlety- her glances at her phone, her careful handling of the rice cooker, her hesitance to open up to others.

Anu’s Story: Love and Defiance

Anu (Divya Prabha), Prabha’s roommate, is younger and more rebellious. She is in love with Shiaz, a Muslim man, and their relationship is a source of both joy and anxiety. Anu’s family would never approve, and the couple struggles to find privacy in a city where space is scarce and judgment is everywhere.

Anu’s vivacity is a contrast to Prabha’s reserve. She teases Prabha, dreams of a life with Shiaz, and resists the pressures to settle for an arranged marriage. Yet, beneath her confidence is vulnerability, fear of losing love, of being forced into conformity, and of never truly belonging.

Parvaty’s Story: Displacement and Dignity

Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam) works as a cook at the hospital. She is a widow, living in a chawl (tenement) that is about to be demolished to make way for luxury development. With all the property documents in her late husband’s name, Parvaty faces eviction and homelessness. Her struggle is emblematic of the larger displacement faced by Mumbai’s working class.

Despite her hardships, Parvati is a source of warmth and humor. She cares for Prabha and Anu, offering advice, food, and companionship. Her story is one of quiet dignity in the face of overwhelming odds.

A Journey to the Coast

When Parvaty decides to visit her ancestral village near Ratnagiri, Prabha and Anu join her. The journey marks a turning point, offering the women a rare escape from the city’s chaos. The scenes in the coastal village are luminous and dreamlike, filled with the sound of waves and the play of light on water.

Here, Prabha saves a drowning man. In a surreal, hallucinatory sequence, she imagines speaking to him as if he were her absent husband, finally expressing her pain and seeking closure. Anu and Shiaz, away from the city’s scrutiny, share moments of intimacy and hope. Parvaty reconnects with her roots and finds a measure of peace.

The Final Act: Light and Acceptance

The film ends with the three women and Shiaz gathered at a beach shack, sharing laughter and companionship. The lights from the shack glow softly in the night, symbolizing hope, acceptance, and the possibility of new beginnings. The ending is open but optimistic, suggesting that even in a world of uncertainty, connection and care can illuminate the darkness.

Characters and Performances

Kani Kusruti as Prabha
Kani delivers a beautifully restrained performance. She expresses Prabha’s loneliness and longing through the smallest gestures-a lingering look, a hesitant smile, the way she hugs the rice cooker. Her journey from isolation to acceptance is subtle yet deeply moving.

Divya Prabha as Anu
Divya brings energy and complexity to Anu. She captures the character’s rebellious spirit, romantic yearning, and underlying vulnerability. Her chemistry with Kani and Hridhu Haroon (as Shiaz) adds authenticity to the film’s emotional core.

Chhaya Kadam as Parvati
Chhaya is earthy, humorous, and dignified as Parvati. She grounds the film with her presence, making Parvaty’s struggle with eviction both specific and universal.

Hridhu Haroon as Shiaz
Hridhu plays Shiaz with tenderness and quiet strength, making the love story with Anu feel real and urgent.

Supporting Cast
The ensemble, including Anand Sami and Lovleen Mishra, adds depth and realism to the world, portraying colleagues, neighbors, and family members with authenticity.

Direction and Screenplay

Payal Kapadia’s direction is intimate and empathetic. She avoids melodrama, instead focusing on the textures of daily life: the sounds of the city, the routines of work, the small acts of care between friends. The screenplay is layered, weaving together the women’s stories with grace and subtlety.

Kapadia’s background in documentary filmmaking is evident in her attention to detail and her ability to capture the rhythms of Mumbai. She creates a sense of place that is both specific and universal, making the city feel alive and ever-present.

Cinematography, Editing, and Music

Cinematography
The visuals are poetic, using light and shadow to evoke mood. Mumbai’s crowded streets and cramped apartments are contrasted with the open, sunlit spaces of the coast. The camera lingers on faces, hands, and everyday objects, turning the mundane into something beautiful.

Editing
The film’s pacing is gentle and contemplative. Scenes are allowed to breathe, and transitions between city and village, reality and imagination, are seamless.

Music and Sound
The score is understated, relying on ambient sounds and subtle melodies. The city’s soundscape- trains, traffic, distant voices- is woven into the film, grounding it in its setting.

Themes and Analysis

Female Intimacy and Friendship
The film is a celebration of female friendship and solidarity. Prabha, Anu, and Parvaty support each other through loneliness, heartbreak, and displacement. Their moments of intimacy-sharing food, laughter, or a silent embrace- are acts of resistance in a world that often denies women agency.

Longing and Closure
Prabha’s story is about longing for love, for closure, for a sense of belonging. Her journey is one of healing, as she learns to let go of the past and embrace the present.

Displacement and Survival
Parvaty’s eviction is a microcosm of the broader displacement faced by Mumbai’s poor. The film critiques the forces of modernization and gentrification that threaten to erase the lives and histories of the city’s most vulnerable.

Love Across Boundaries
Anu and Shiaz’s relationship challenges social and religious norms. Their struggle to find privacy and acceptance is both personal and political, highlighting the barriers to love in contemporary India.

Light as Hope
The title is reflected throughout the film- in the glow of city lights, the warmth of a rice cooker, the shimmer of the sea at dawn. Light becomes a metaphor for hope, connection, and the possibility of new beginnings.

What Works

• Authentic, Relatable Performances: The cast brings depth and realism to their roles.

• Atmospheric Storytelling: The film immerses viewers in the world of its characters, making Mumbai feel both oppressive and alive.

• Emotional Resonance: The exploration of loneliness, desire, and solidarity is deeply moving.

• Visual Poetry: Cinematography and sound design elevate everyday moments.

• Subtle Social Commentary: The film addresses issues of class, gender, and migration with nuance.

What Could Be Better

• Slow Pacing: Viewers seeking a fast-moving plot may find the film’s contemplative rhythm challenging.

• Sparse Dialogue: Some emotions are left unspoken, relying on visual cues that may feel too subtle for some audiences.

• Open-Ended Conclusion: The ending is intentionally ambiguous, which may leave some viewers craving more closure.

Audience and Critical Reception

All We Imagine as Light has been celebrated at international festivals and by critics for its artistry, empathy, and insight. Audiences have praised its honest depiction of women’s lives, its evocative portrayal of Mumbai, and its gentle, hopeful tone. The film has sparked conversations about the invisibility of working-class women in Indian cinema and the quiet strength required to survive and thrive in a city like Mumbai.

Final Verdict

All We Imagine as Light is a luminous, deeply felt film that lingers in the mind and heart. It is a love letter to the invisible women of Mumbai, a meditation on longing, friendship, and hope, and a testament to the power of small acts of kindness. With its poetic visuals, authentic performances, and profound empathy, it stands as one of the most important Indian films of recent years.

Rating: 4.5/5

Conclusion

If you appreciate cinema that values emotion over spectacle, character over plot, and poetry over noise, All We Imagine as Light is an essential watch. It is a film that invites you to slow down, listen, and imagine a world where even the smallest light can illuminate the darkest corners of our lives. This is a film to be cherished, discussed, and remembered.