All We Imagine as Light

A profoundly raw depiction of women sharing women’s stories, and the solitude of individuals in sprawling metropolitan cities, All We Imagine as Light is a calm, meditative ode to the chaos of Bombay. Subtle in its storytelling, the film avoids grand gestures yet leaves an indelible impact by the end. Spectacular in every sense, it is a visual marvel and one of the most authentic portrayals of an Indian city on screen. Its delicate narrative ensures that even the smallest details resonate deeply and meaningfully.

Payal Kapadia’s creative genius shines through, bringing sensitivity, nuance, and depth to every frame—she deserves all the recognition and more. Watching this felt incredibly light and inspiring; every shot carried a quiet beauty that lingered.

The film captures themes of intimacy, self-discovery, resilience through loneliness, saudade, female camaraderie, and politically conscious undertones. It is crafted with exceptional care, and so many moments struck a deeply personal chord with me, making it feel like home in the most unexpected ways.

I loved the pacing of this film. I have not seen much movies with this kind of slow burn pacing in Indian cinema. Acting was flawless as every actor portrayed their roles with authenticity. The cinematography was... chaotic, with quite... natural and depressive color grading, but I liked it, so no complaints. For me, the color grading is unsettling yet captivating—a risky creative decision nonetheless. Always loved the organic multilingualism in movies, instead of homogenizing voices into a single, unnatural language for the sake of convenience. A special mention must be made for the director, _Ms. Kapadia_, whose vision is clear in every frame. The simple piano score is another work of art. It's definitely not a movie crafted for mass appeal considering zero "masala" elements. Shame that films like these are overlooked by the film federation when it comes to selecting movies for academy awards, but generic, safer movies with some mass appeal like _Laapata Ladies_ gets nod which has absolutely no hope in hell for win. ( btw _Laapata Ladies_ is not a bad film, it's definitely exceptional in a vast ocean of mediocrity, but still is far from being groundbreaking, having any originality, and lacks the daring, introspective depth required to compete on a global stage.)

Overall, **==9/10==** in my opinion. ==Must watch for Indian cinema enthusiasts==.

(Edit: giving 10/10 for my personal taste bias.)

[Cannes '24] An absorbing film in its narrative, in which the director presents a complex vision of the lives of three women in Mumbai, proposing themes such as gentrification, internal immigration in the country, femininity and sentimental relationships, controlled by religion and the caste system. But it has a visual beauty and a poetic breath that is outstanding, in a film that manages to interweave all the technical elements to build an exciting story, but at the same time it is deeply political. There is a contrast between the blue and gray colors of the monsoon in Mumbai and the reddish rocks in the Ratnagiri region, but also between light and darkness. But the film opts for light, being absolutely optimistic even if it is not a resolution for the protagonists.

An exceptional and intricately woven tale of three women - one widowed, one estranged, and one fiercely in youthful love - from distinct walks of life.

A big applause to Payal Kapadia for the picturesque narration and stunning cinematography. As always, Kani Kusruti delivers her role with unsurpassable perfection. The picture's resounding splendour is also due to Divya Prabha's and Chhaya Kadam's immaculate portrayals of their characters.

The humble shots were by far the most stirring - the bustling stations filled with the chaotic common folk, the humbling cityscape subtly infused with deep conversations about life, and the poetic glimpses of the waves and little sea creatures all capturing our souls. There is an astounding beauty in the minimal flow of life. Our characters deal with the pain of loss, grief, estrangement, and the fear of being unconventional. Yet, they gracefully navigate through life's hardships, not flawlessly, but just as any other raw and imperfect being would. This story is told with no dramatic embellishments; instead, it is presented as it is relatable. The emotional burn is slow and gentle, and at the end of the cinematic marvel, it leaves you feeling fulfilled.

Great acting from the main characters, the soundtrack definitely adds the value of the movie substantially. Weight distribution on the story for the main characters may be imbalanced. There are plenty of poignant shots of the city, contemplating reflections, and gentle opening of each main characters personal moments with pursuance of what they imagine as a hopeful moments.

ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT - deserves every bit of love and respect it's getting!

Would've preferred actual Malayalam director and writer cuz then it wouldn't have been so whitewashed in the style of direction. But it was ok. Very slow. Watch actual Mallu movies for something that feels like malayalam cinema. Decent if you like the slow indie drama of western films. It was north Indian style, same thing.

All We Imagine as Light is a very gentle and tender movie, taking a ton of care to portray both of its protagonists as their differing personalities try to navigate the same demands Indian society places on them. This is coupled with a soothing and melodic soundtrack and glowing cinematography, a type of intentionality and creative vision that you typically do not see from Indian movies. While it's certainly a beautiful movie filled with a crafted aesthethic and vibe, the story didn't resonate as much with me on an emotional level. I think it's a fairly simple concept, and while it showcases life in Mumbai, it doesn't necessarily develop the type of insight I was expecting. Definitely worth watching though, and I hope Indian movies look at this movie for inspiration on how to evolve beyond the typical Bollywood formula.

I can definitely say that “All We Imagine as Light” is unlike any other Indian movie I've ever seen. There are no dance numbers, no singing, no over-the-top action sequences, and no slapstick humor. Admittedly, my knowledge of Indian cinema is rather limited. But it still seems to me that a classic, very meditative drama like this movie is rather rare there.

Essentially, the story follows three women who work in a hospital in Mumbai and have to deal with different problems in their private lives. All three stories have something going for them, and there is nothing to complain about in terms of the acting. Personally, however, I found the movie too meditative at times and perhaps even a little boring due to its slow-paced narrative style. Nevertheless, overall, I would still describe “All We Imagine as Light” as a worthwhile movie.

The film stands out for its cinematography, which focuses on raw, realistic scenes shot in real locations. Most of the shots use wide shots, which emphasize the social dynamics and cultural aspects of the time. The acting is a strong point, with natural and convincing performances. However, the narrative moves slowly, often seeming hesitant, suggesting paths that never go deeper, repeatedly returning to everyday, random scenes of the characters. This structure is maintained almost until the last 30 minutes, when the plot manages to move along, but until then, the movie is slow and tiresome.