All We Imagine as Light

"Prabha" (Kani Kusruti) is a nurse in a busy Mumbai hospital who shares her tiny apartment with the usually skint "Anu" (Divya Prabha). We quickly learn that she is married but her husband left her some while ago to work in Germany and she hasn't heard from him in over a year. "Anu", on the other hand, has a different emotional problem. She has fallen in love with a young Muslim man "Shiaz" (Hridhu Haroon) but knows full well that neither her colleagues nor her family will ever permit such a relationship, let alone any marriage - so perhaps elopement is their only solution. Meantime, whilst these women deal with their own domestic issues, their friend "Parvaty" (Chhaya Kadam) is facing eviction from her home as the developers want to move in. Their threats have given way to more practical action as her electricity has been disconnected. In the face of this, she decides it's time to return to her ocean-side village where at least she has her own home. Sympathetic to her plight, the two friends agree to accompany her and it's whilst there that we discover through conversation and flash-backs a little of just how each woman found themselves where they are now, and we take a look at what opportunities might present themselves for their futures. It's a delicately presented story this, set amongst the hustle and bustle of a city that never stops. These women care about others all the time, but are gradually becoming aware that they also have to start caring more about themselves - and for "Prabha" who has attracted the interest of the kindly "Dr. Manoj" (Azees Nedumangad) she has to decide whether to remain faithful to her past or look to what might be next. There's some solid photography throughout capturing both the lively (and frequently rainy) urban busyness as well as the beauty of the water and the ancient peaceful symbolism carved in the caves, and the whole thrust of the narrative illustrates poignantly the choices (or lack of them) that these women can make in a society where conformity is the order of the day. It can be quite fun at times too, these women are not sackcloth and ashes characters, but there's still a potent message that creates an engaging and characterful study that's well worth a couple of hours.

Quiet and fragile, 'All We Imagine as Light' delicately unfolds life in Mumbai, capturing the solitude of its protagonists in a city full of movement. The film beautifully juxtaposes the stillness of personal struggles against the relentless pace of urban life, creating an intimate yet universal portrait of longing and resilience. However, while the storytelling is subtle and poetic, it lacks a true climax, leaving certain narrative threads unresolved. Despite this, the film's delicate atmosphere, compelling performances, and evocative cinematography make it a poignant, meditative experience that lingers beyond the screen.

She made peace with the young love and embraced it -something she missed on herself- only after she gave herself a closure, a form of confrontation through projection, her own emotional catharsis.

I loved the relationship all three women had with each other, real, quite and safe, yet not too dramatic and unrealistic as you can still sense the distance and emotional complexities between them -as in any human relationship-.

The slow pace of the movie, while I definitely understand that it's not for everyone's liking, made the emotions seen throughout the movie, more felt, amplified..

Note: The track at the final scene was also beautiful and deserves a thank you -from me-.

This film was fine, but I'm struggling to understand what sets it apart. While it's artistic, the film lacks a compelling narrative. It seems to tick the right boxes-a woman of color from Europe directing-but beyond that, what makes it stand out? I'm baffled by the critical acclaim. The acting was solid, the score was minimal, and the direction was decent. It feels like the inclusion of nudity and explicit scenes is what ultimately sold the film. Is this really what filmmakers must resort to in order to cater to Western audiences? The pacing is incredibly slow, which likely appealed to the French audience and contributed to its selection at Cannes.

Cannes loves films like these!

Three women of different generations living in Mumbai struggle with life, love, the future, each with her own perspective, experiences, choices and fears. Love is hard in India.

It aims to be a moody, atmospheric movie for the most part and it succeeds I think, but I wish it had been better shot. There is so much opportunity here to do amazing cinematography and it just wasn't that. Thing WKW. This could have been that level of beauty. It had all the right sights and vibes.

I don't know if I am fully satisfied by what I saw because I kept imagining how much better it could have looked at times. Maybe that is unfair to the writer/director. Maybe associating it with other iconic mood pieces is not fair either. For the topics and the dialogues and the actresses it deserves its place in modern Indian cinema I think. I haven't seen many Indian movies, some of them where better in the looks department, others much worse in the story and character development department. So I think it's fair to place it with the better ones.

A little too long and unfocused at times. That's why I'm saying top notch cinematography would've gotten us to forgive its flaws.