When the “spirit of Mumbai” is evoked, it often symbolizes the city’s collective resilience, particularly in the face of tragedies. This notion tends to spotlight the anonymous masses who, due to lack of privilege, must brave the outside world. However, Payal Kapadia’s debut feature, “All We Imagine as Light,” takes a different route. Instead of making assumptions about the underprivileged, Kapadia places them at the center of her narrative, granting them a voice and a presence.
The film begins with a tapestry of voices from these often overlooked multitudes, reminiscent of Kapadia’s background in documentary filmmaking. These voices weave stories about what Mumbai represents to thousands who migrate from across India in search of livelihoods. Among these voices are Malayali nurses Prabha (Kani Kusruti) and Anu (Divya Prabha), and Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam), a hospital worker, who all share this migrant identity.
Interestingly, “All We Imagine as Light” is less about the work these women do or their everyday struggles. Instead, it delves into their interior lives—exploring their desires, disappointments, confusions, and even biases. Prabha, a long-time resident of Mumbai, embodies weariness and recurring anxiety over a husband who vanished soon after marriage to work in Germany. She confides in her friend that their last conversation was over a year ago.
Conversely, Anu is brimming with the excitement of newfound freedom and the bliss of a clandestine relationship with Shiaz (Hridhu Haroon). Prabha, with her deeply ingrained patriarchal values, finds Anu’s lively ways disconcerting, yet she’s at a loss for words. Anu, determined and independent, grows bolder in her escapades but faces her own set of uncertainties regarding her future. Meanwhile, Parvaty grapples with the imminent threat of eviction from the home she’s lived in for over two decades.
. Lacking proper documentation, she falls an easy prey to developers intent on erecting skyscrapers. Despite their differing adversities, these three women find common ground and solidarity.
The unity they form isn’t for any grand act of rebellion—unless one counts the charming scene of hurling stones at a builder’s advertisement hoarding—but rather for mutual support. Transitioning from the bustling nights of Mumbai, the latter half of the film transports us to a serene seaside village in Maharashtra, imbued with sunlight and tranquility. In a striking passage of writing, Prabha encounters a semblance of closure in a scene married between reality and imagination. Yet, viewers may sense the filmmaker’s reticence in the final moments, favoring a gentle, kite-like float over a soaring, bird-like proclamation. This choice may leave one feeling mildly unsatiated.
At intervals, the film assumes the mood of a Mumbai reverie, enhanced by gentle jazz tunes. The lens occasionally broadens to capture a sea of flats with windows dimly or brightly lit, alongside the perpetual motion of suburban trains and crowds. These visuals remind us that the stories of the three women are in fact representative of many outsiders in Mumbai. Kapadia injects a poetic quality into even mundane moments, thoughtfully turning the perpetually romanticized Mumbai rains into a frustrating obstruction to a romantic liaison.
“All We Imagine as Light” serves as both an ode to the city and its outsiders. It celebrates those who, despite their inability to truly call Mumbai home, find themselves unable to leave.
“All We Imagine as Light” is currently showing in select theaters in Kerala.
