Movie Review: ‘All We Imagine As Light (From India)’

by | Dec 30, 2024 | Featured Post, Movie Reviews, Movies | 0 comments


Greetings again from the darkness. With a population of more than 20 million people, Mumbai is one of the most densely populated places on the planet. It would seem impossible to feel alone or isolated in such a place. In this follow-up to her feature film debut, A NIGHT OF KNOWING NOTHING (2021), Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia begins with a documentary style overview of the city with multi-dialect voiceovers recapping personal experiences with life in the city. “In Mumbai, there is work and money.”

Writer-director Kapadia then proceeds to highlight the very different challenges of three women who work at a busy local hospital. Pradha (a superb Kani Kasrudi) is a senior nurse. Her younger roommate Anu (Divya Pradha) has an administrative position, while Pradha’s best friend Parvaty (Chhya Kadam) is a cook in the cafeteria. Each has their own story. Pradha’s husband took off for Germany not long after their arranged marriage, and they have had little contact in over a year. Anu has a bit of rebellious streak and has fallen for a Muslim boy named Shiaz (Hridhu Haroon), a cross-religion taboo. In the path of development, the widow Parvaty is being threatened with eviction from her apartment of 22 years, as her husband failed to leave the necessary ownership papers.

Pradha is not a cold woman, yet she’s certainly not prone to expressing emotions in front of others. So, when she cuddles on the floor with the fancy rice maker she assumes was sent by her husband, we understand this is a dramatic moment for her. Pradha tries to counsel Anu on the danger of spoiling her reputation, but Anu is strong enough to pursue her own desires – despite “helpful” date recommendations from her own mother. The generational differences are stark. Dr. Manoj (Azees Nedumangad) has a quiet crush on Pradha and offers his personally crafted poem to her as proof. When Parvaty decides to return to the seaside village of her childhood, Anu and Pradha assist with the move.

The intricacies of the delicate relationships among the three women is most evident and impactful during this final segment. The sadness and resignation inferred by “You can’t escape your fate” is contested in this third act. Pradha’s reserved nature and gentleness mask her inner-strength, and a terrific sequence occurs where she performs CPR on a man on the beach, and what follows is a touching, surreal vision.

The contrast between the hustle and constant movement of big city Mumbai (even in the time before sunrise) and the beach village is noteworthy as the three women are actually able to enjoy a moment. In fact, finding joy in a life lacking in joy is a key lesson here … in other words, making the best of one’s situation. A sometimes playful piano score from Dhritiman Das Topshe helps with the tone set by cinematographer Ranabir Das and the heavy dose of blue tint. The film financing was dependent on multi-country (mostly European) participation, and having the film overlooked as India’s submission for this year’s Oscar consideration was a clear slight to the talented Payal Kapadia. It’s such a shame, as this is without a doubt one of the best films of the year.

David Ferguson
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