All We Imagine As Light
Payal Kapadia’s feature film debut, “All We Imagine As Light,” winner of the Grand Prix at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, is a cinematic exploration that redefines the Big City vs. Country Town narrative, not by overwhelming viewers with flashy visuals, but through a warm and immersive storytelling approach that intricately weaves together multiple plotlines.
Kapadia introduces her two leads with such ease and subtlety that it takes a moment to realize they are the protagonists. One is Prabha, the head nurse at a hospital, and the other is Anu, a younger nurse working alongside her. The two women are roommates, yet their personalities couldn’t be more contrasting.
Anu, portrayed by Divya Prabha, is carefree, flirtatious, and a touch impulsive. In contrast, Prabha, played by Kani Kusruti, exudes quiet responsibility. She takes charge of cooking and begrudgingly steps in to cover the rent when Anu falls short. Despite their differences, the bond between them feels genuinely sisterly. As their relationship deepens, their similarities and distinctions gradually come into sharper focus, enriching their dynamic.
Prabha and Anu both hail from Kerala, a southern state in India, but their lives in Mumbai are still tethered to the weight of familial expectations, particularly when it comes to romance. Anu is secretly dating Shiaz, a young Muslim man, knowing their interfaith relationship would face harsh scrutiny. Prabha, on the other hand, is married to a husband who moved to Germany for work years ago. His sparse communication leaves her fearing that their arranged marriage, orchestrated by their parents, is already a thing of the past.
At its heart, the film is about the solidarity shared among women who offer each other empathy and understanding where society falls short. This solidarity is poignantly depicted when characters Prabha and Anu rally to support their older colleague, Parvaty (played by Chhaya Kadam), who faces eviction by opportunistic developers. The situation underscores the gender inequalities entrenched in society, especially as Parvaty’s property rights become tenuous following her husband’s death.
A Multilingual Metropolis
Kapadia sets her tale in Mumbai, a bustling Indian metropolis where linguistic diversity flourishes amidst a backdrop of cultural complexities. The narrative follows two nurse protagonists from Kerala who speak Malayalam, highlighting their bond in a city teeming with a multitude of dialects. Through their experiences, the film subtly critiques societal pressures for monolingual conformity, presenting Mumbai as a cacophony of voices and stories.
The film captures the essence of Mumbai without overt exposition, portraying the city’s vibrant street markets and diverse transit passengers as a microcosm of middle and lower-class life. Unlike the “everybody knows everybody” ethos of small towns, Mumbai’s vast anonymity offers both comfort and alienation, a duality Kapadia skillfully navigates.
Kapadia also enriches her film with cultural nuances, such as Mumbai’s seasonal shifts and the complex cultural attitudes towards cats. In contrast to the West’s feline adoration, Indian perspectives often view domestic cats with suspicion due to their carnivorous nature. Yet, practicality triumphs over stigma for the protagonists, Prabha and Anu, who decide to share their compact apartment with the cat.
Kapadia’s film essentially is about the interweaving of these three female characters’ lives — Prabha, Anu, Parvaty, and their friendship.
The Village Escape
Parvaty’s decision to return to her coastal village, accompanied by Prabha and Anu, introduces a startling shift in the film’s setting. The transition from the crowded, rain-soaked streets of Mumbai to a sunlit beach prompts introspection among the characters. It raises questions about belonging and identity, challenging Prabha and Anu to consider if they align more with their rural roots or the urban landscape they’ve come to know. The film leaves these questions open-ended, avoiding definitive answers and instead, driving the narrative towards a sensory-rich and emotionally charged climax.
As the film’s second half transitions to Parvaty’s seaside village, juxtaposing the urban chaos of Mumbai with rural simplicity, the protagonists confront personal truths. Parvaty’s village serves as a reflective backdrop rather than a utopian escape, revealing its own set of illusions amid a veneer of simplicity.
Symbolism
Kapadia’s storytelling is marked by an emotional honesty that resonates deeply, allowing the film to become increasingly sensual and dreamlike. The narrative ushers the audience through a profound moment of recognition among the women, highlighting how much they value and need each other. In a society that often presents significant obstacles, “All We Imagine as Light” beautifully illustrates friendship as a powerful form of resistance.
The last thirty minutes of the film flirts with a bit of magical realism, but in the end, Kapadia brings home the point on how each one of us must confront our own reality and reconcile with the truths that matter to us.
The film’s title remains open to interpretation, inviting viewers to explore its thematic and symbolic depths.
But to me, this is what it meant.
“All We Imagine As Light” reveals that life isn’t just about the clarity offered by guiding principles, but about understanding and embracing the limits of that clarity — the limits of these illusions — and learning to navigate within those boundaries to build a more fulfilling existence.
