Payal Kapadia’s ‘All We Imagine As Light’ is now available to stream on Disney+ Hotstar (starting January 3, 2025). The widely acclaimed Malayalam-Hindi film received positive applause at several international festivals for its brilliant storytelling and great visuals, which resonated with the critics and viewers alike. As the glorious movie streams on the OTT platform, read our review to find out if it’s worth watching.
Story: All We Imagine As Light is an absorbing story of three women from different age groups navigating through their mundane lives in the bustling city of Mumbai. Prabha (Kani Kusruti) and Anu (Divya Prabha) are nurses who work at the same hospital and are also roommates. Merely trying to make ends meet in a huge city, both women are from small towns in Kerala; hence, the movie beautifully captures their everyday struggles. Prabha is a senior nurse who is married; however, she doesn’t know what it means to be married, as her husband left for Germany for work soon after their marriage.
Anu is young and chirpy and the first one to leave early from her work to meet her lover Shiaz (Hridhu Haroon). She is on the lookout for a cozy place to get intimate with him. She is also causing a scandal in the hospital, as the nurses gossip about her interfaith relationship. Mumbai here is represented as a watchful bird in the context of Anu.
There’s a third woman, Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam), a much older widow who works as a cook in the same hospital. She is dealing with a property developer who bought her flat and is now threatening her with eviction.
Performances: All We Imagine As Light contains breathtaking performances from the cast. The lives of these three women are presented as a tale of sisterhood with compassion and care. Kani Kusruti, as a head nurse, is reserved and headstrong. She chides Anu as an elder sister, asking her to behave. She has tremendous self-control and always keeps her desires suppressed, fearing the society. Kani Kusruti has been making waves with her choice of work lately. In All We Imagine As Light, Kusruti, as someone longing for love and physical affection, represents most women who go through something similar. She is simply wonderful in the movie.
Anu, played by Divya Prabha, is a breath of fresh air. She is impressive as a bubbly young nurse, experiencing the butterflies that come with being in love. She is enjoying her life and wants to satiate her desires and is also unapologetic about it.
Speaking about Chhaya Kadam, we are familiar with how she puts her soul into her characters, especially in Laapaata Ladies. Here, in this drama, Kadam is a strong woman and clear about her intention not to let her flat slip away from her hands. The actress is expressive as she enjoys liquor, dances her heart out, and is ready to face the world with confidence.
Hridhu Haroon and Azees Nedumangad also deliver satisfactory performances in their limited screen time.
Technical Aspects: All We Imagine As Light is a poetic ode to the blaring city of Mumbai. The lives of three women are connected in a smooth way that doesn’t feel out of place. Payal Kapadia portrays their hardships, insecurities, desires, hope, and feelings using a breathtaking visual narrative, set against the backdrop of the city of dreams. The screenplay has different layers, which also emphasize the lives of the immigrants who lead a life with minimal of what they get.
The nuances of womanhood across different age groups are interestingly portrayed and slowly develop into a relationship that somewhat gives you hope and also leaves you disheartened. Kapadia ignores the glamour of the city and instead chooses to show the local train, struggles and emotions of the common woman. The background score works well in parts, while the colours make an impact, as they complement the narrative.
Ranabir Das‘ camera work beautifully captures the essence of Mumbai city in its truest colours. Many scenes are done in a metaphorical way by depicting dialogues in connection to nature. The editing is focused on preserving the delicacy and softness of the story.
Analysis: A complete contrast to normal commercial movies, All We Imagine As Light is slow-paced and soothing. Director Payal Kapadia captures everyday life moments of characters, for example, changing dresses, a woman longing for affection from her husband, conversations, and the intricacies of their relationships in a very subtle way.
The rawness of the characters will keep you hooked, whereas the authenticity with which Mumbai has been portrayed adds to the endearing atmosphere of the storyline. Existential crisis and solace make an important subject of the movie, which has been depicted in a profoundly humane way. Other topics, such as nudity and a young woman experiencing intercourse with her lover, are portrayed in an honest manner without becoming vulgar. The movie also deals with topics like class privilege and immigrants’ suffering in a restrained way.
Although the second half feels a bit dragged, All We Imagine As Light is a soft and wholesome film that illuminates your mind, making you rethink your life. The movie is a celebration of womanhood and its feelings. A mix of Malayalam, Hindi, and Marathi maintains the authenticity of the story, given the regional background of the characters. Further, the characters are crafted meticulously, and the tenderness brings a sense of calm.
Verdict: A slow-burning, immersive movie for those who enjoy meditative storytelling.
Rating: 3.5/5
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