All We Imagine as Light Movie Review: Payal Kapadia’s film teaches us the importance of women friendship

Payal Kapadia has looked at the maximum city through women’s lens. How women’s sexual desire is as important as emotional desire. Three women colleagues, Prabha (Kani Kusruti), Anu (Divya Prabha), and Parvathy (Chhaya Kadam) who work as nurses in the hospital come together.  It follows the life of Prabha (Kani Kusruti), a Mumbai nurse whose life is thrown in disarray when she receives a rice cooker from her estranged husband.

There is a scene where Prabha (Kani Kusruti) tries to make love with the rice cooker. All We Imagine as Light talks about women’s sexual desires and how at different age groups your desires are different.

Not many filmmakers talk about women friendship, rather it is always about men friends being thick and close. The film is based out of Mumbai where many working professionals come from all over the country to make a living. Though it is a very safe city from women, it kind of alienates you and not many people bother to know what is happening next door.

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Mumbai has its very own character as a city and making this city home can be harsh for most non-Mumbaikars. The people in the city will not trouble you, but at the same time they will not bother to find out how you are doing. It is a place for hustlers and sometimes your emotions get lost in this fast paced city.

Kapadia’s film talks unapologetically about loneliness and women’s desires. The film tells the story of Mumbai and Mumbaikars. Directed and written by Payal Kapadia, All We Imagine as Light is this year’s Cannes Grand Prix winner.

All the three women shown in the film have complicated lives. Though they are from different age groups they come together to share their thoughts and their personal problems. All the three women have a complicated life and equally complicated relationships. Prabha (Kani Kusruti) who is neither young nor old is married to someone who has left her in Mumbai to work in Germany and there is a mystery around it too. Anu (Divya Prabha), the youngest of the lot has a deep relationship with a Muslim boy. She keeps her relationship a secret not only from her family, but her friends too.

Oldest amongst the three, Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam), a middle-age widow is shown to be the most confident woman and she is a go-getter too. An optimist who doesn’t give up on life and living it to the fullest despite her sadness and uncertainties, sometimes gives life lessons to the younger ladies.

Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam) has her own battles to fight too. She’s struggling to stay in the apartment that she had shared with her husband, which developers now are planning to demolish and give each dweller an apartment to live. But sadly, she doesn’t have the papers in place.

With all the difficulties in life, all three women grow close to each other. An immersive and engaging film moves at a slow pace, but will keep you glued to the screen.

Rating: 4 out of 5

WATCH the trailer of All We Imagine as Light here: