Payal Kapadia’s debut feature film, All We Imagine As Light, opens with a profoundly contemplated and nimbly realized sequence, setting a perfect prelude for the range of themes explored in the narrative. This documentary footage captures the bustling metropolis of Mumbai, teeming with people from diverse backgrounds who have migrated to the city in search of livelihood and life. The film delves into the universal existential anxieties felt by those trying to make Mumbai their home, only to grapple with the fear of having to leave it one day. Mumbai is depicted as a city that liberates yet holds you in thrall, a place of both profound loneliness and unexpected kinship, a city that breaks hearts but also heals them, forcing its inhabitants to adapt to the reality of impermanence.
All We Imagine As Light Malayalam Movie Review
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All We Imagine As Light Malayalam Movie Plot:
As the narrative transitions from this macro human canvas to a micro-focus on two nurses from Kerala—Prabha (Kani Kusruti) and Anu (Divya Prabha)—the film metaphorically mirrors Kapadia’s journey from documentary filmmaking to fiction, grounding its imagined story in truth. Prabha and Anu, separated by age, share a room in Mumbai. Prabha, estranged from her husband, has not seen him since their wedding. Anu, in contrast, is constantly seeking intimate moments with her boyfriend (Hridhu Haroon) amid the city’s chaos. Meanwhile, their friend Parvati (Chhaya Kadam) faces eviction from her home of 22 years due to a lack of ownership papers, highlighting the precariousness of life in Mumbai.
A pivotal moment occurs when Prabha receives a rice cooker from her husband, stirring a pot of emotions. A subsequent trip to Parvati’s seaside hometown awakens buried desires in Prabha and clandestine ones in Anu. As Anu finally experiences an elusive rendezvous with her boyfriend, they envision a fearless future together. In an attempt to revive a stranger washed ashore, Prabha reconnects with feelings she thought were long dead. Amid the depths of darkness, these women find light.
Movie Success:
Kapadia’s film, competing for the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival thirty years after Shaji N Karun’s Swaham, delicately handles emotions and contentious issues like identity politics, workers’ rights, builder mafia, and religious divides. Her narrative is quiet and luminous, relying on the power of the implicit. Even moments of anger and exasperation, such as critiques of Mumbai’s so-called spirit of resilience, are introspective rather than shrill.
All We Imagine As Light Malayalam Movie Cast and Crew:
Ranabir Das’s cinematography, coupled with the sound design by Benjamin Silvestre, Romain Ozanne, and Olivier Voisin, Dhritiman Das’s music, and Clement Pinteaux’s editing, brings Mumbai to life on screen. The three women are studies in contrast, yet Kapadia’s direction fosters empathy for each of them. The film evokes deep emotions through simple moments, like eating at a neighborhood restaurant for the first time on the last day in the city or Prabha reflecting on how people she knows have become strangers.
Kani Kusruti brings a nuanced performance as Prabha, embodying diffidence, righteousness, and moral uptightness. Her portrayal captures a woman merely existing, her face hiding festering restlessness. Divya Prabha’s Anu is recklessly subversive, eager to embrace life. Chhaya Kadam’s portrayal of Parvati is practical and gutsy, willing to leave Mumbai if necessary. Haroon’s supporting role adds to the film’s dynamic ensemble.
This feminist film is a meditation on what it means to be a single woman in Mumbai, considered the safest city for women in India. More than that, it’s a spiritual evocation of the human condition. Films can mirror life or become a canvas for viewers’ experiences. Just as Prabha projects her dilemmas onto a stranger, the film invites viewers to find their reflections in its 114 minutes. All We Imagine As Light is a touching ode to Mumbai, a city of dreams and illusions, one that evokes a deep sense of belonging yet remains elusive as home.
All We Imagine As Light Malayalam Movie Director:
Directed by Payal Kapadia.
All We Imagine As Light Malayalam Movie Rating:
Rating: 4/5.
FAQs: (Frequently asked Questions)
- What is the central theme of All We Imagine As Light?
The central theme revolves around the existential anxieties and emotional struggles of individuals trying to find their place in the bustling metropolis of Mumbai. - Who are the main characters in the film?
The main characters are Prabha (Kani Kusruti), Anu (Divya Prabha), and Parvati (Chhaya Kadam). - What significant event triggers a change in Prabha’s life?
Prabha receives a rice cooker from her estranged husband, which stirs up a pot of emotions and memories. - How does the film depict Mumbai?
Mumbai is depicted as a city of contrasts—liberating yet confining, lonely yet full of unexpected kinship, and a place that demands adaptation to impermanence. - What issues does the film address?
The film addresses identity politics, workers’ rights, the builder mafia, and religious divides, all through a subtle and introspective narrative. - What is the significance of the trip to Parvati’s hometown?
The trip awakens buried and clandestine desires in Prabha and Anu, leading to significant emotional developments for both characters. - What role does Anu’s boyfriend play in the narrative?
Anu’s boyfriend represents her quest for intimate moments and a fearless future amid the chaos of Mumbai. - How does the film handle contentious issues?
The film tackles contentious issues with a quiet, introspective approach, relying on the power of the implicit rather than overt confrontation. - What elements contribute to the film’s portrayal of Mumbai?
Ranabir Das’s cinematography, the sound design by Benjamin Silvestre, Romain Ozanne, and Olivier Voisin, Dhritiman Das’s music, and Clement Pinteaux’s editing all contribute to bringing Mumbai to life on screen. - What makes the film a feminist work?
The film focuses on the experiences and struggles of its female protagonists, exploring themes of independence, identity, and the human condition from a feminist perspective.
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