All We Imagine as Light: A Mood-Driven, Slow-Burning Tale of Hope and Struggles

All We Imagine as Light offers more of a mood-driven narrative that's touched rarely in Indian cinema. The film, directed by Payal Kapadia, explores relationships, hope, and the inner lives of women, set against the backdrop of Mumbai. Although the movie has received acclaim, including the Grand Prix at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival, its slow pacing and prolonged runtime may make it challenging for some viewers to stay fully engaged. At its core, it is a reflection on dreams muted by societal pressures, but its two-hour duration feels unnecessarily long for what it ultimately conveys.

STORY

Set in Mumbai, All We Imagine as Light follows three female friends—Prabha, Anu, and Parvaty—who work at the same hospital. Prabha (Kani Kusruti) and Anu (Divya Prabha) are nurses and roommates with contrasting personalities, while Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam) works as a cook. Prabha’s life is marked by loneliness as her husband, who works in Germany.

Anu faces pressure from her parents to enter into an arranged marriage, but she is secretly dating Shiaz (Hridhu Haroon), a Muslim man her family would never approve of. Meanwhile, Parvaty struggles with housing instability as her building is set to be demolished, and she faces the threat of eviction. The women’s lives intertwine, with their individual struggles providing emotional support for each other, such as when Prabha receives an anonymous rice cooker gift and helps Parvaty navigate her housing dilemma.

PERFORMANCES

The performances in All We Imagine as Light are deeply authentic, with each actress portraying her character’s struggles with a sense of rawness and relatability. Kani Kusruti as Prabha, Divya Prabha as Anu, and Chhaya Kadam as Parvaty each bring nuance to their roles, making their characters feel real and grounded. Their portrayals allow the film’s introspective nature to resonate, even in moments when the plot seems to stall. The chemistry between the three women is understated but powerful, capturing the essence of friendship amidst life’s struggles.

Technicalities:

Cinematography by Ranabir Das is one of the standout features of All We Imagine as Light. The film’s visual style leans towards artistic realism, creating an atmosphere that keeps the viewer engaged even during the quieter, slower moments. The camera often lingers on the mundane aspects of life—working, traveling, and the everyday grind—which adds to the film’s reflective mood. The occasional street scenes, where the camera captures snippets of conversations from Mumbai’s bustling streets, further highlight the film’s sense of place and the contrast between the dreams and struggles of city life. However, while the visuals help establish the tone, the slow pacing and drawn-out runtime of nearly two hours detract from its overall impact.

Analysis:

At its heart, All We Imagine as Light is an introspective drama about relationships, hope, and the quiet resilience of women navigating societal expectations. There are few emotions that are rarely portrayed in cinema. A woman's loneliness is always expressed in words in movies when talking to someone, but All We Imagine As Light, just like the title says, explains the lifestyle of three women who are in three different age groups and how they endure it. It's a special movie definitely for women.

However, its pacing can feel excessive, with a runtime that stretches out without adding significant depth to the story. Though the film’s meditative approach to its characters' struggles is admirable, it could have been more impactful with tighter editing. The film’s occasional lack of progress in the narrative may leave some viewers disengaged, despite the authentic performances and powerful visual storytelling. While the title’s meaning becomes clear in the final moments, showcasing the power of human connection in tough times, the journey to reach this point feels unnecessarily prolonged. Still, for those willing to embrace its slow-burn style, All We Imagine as Light offers a poignant exploration of ordinary lives filled with extraordinary hope and quiet strength.

RATING: 3/5