Rarely has such a gentle, arguably minimalist film like All We Imagine As Light felt so earth-shattering. Written and directed by the up-and-coming Payal Kapadia, Light is one of the loudest announcements ever of a new vital filmmaking voice, even while the film itself tends to be a quiet sort of triumph.
In part, the film is a portrait of Mumbai, Kapadia’s birthplace and longtime workplace. There are occasional documentary techniques nestled amid the drama, but the bustling city is mostly seen through the eyes of two nurses. Prabha (Kani Kusruti) and Anu (Divya Prabha) live together in an apartment while Prabha’s husband is away working in Germany. Prabha is one of the most respected nurses at the hospital where they work, while Anu is a fair bit younger and basically just starting her career. Anu secretly bucks her family’s traditional social norms by having an affair with a Muslim man named Shiaz (Hridhu Haroon), while Prabha suffers in silence, anxiously awaiting her husband’s return, or indeed, any communication at all from him.
One day, Prabha receives a new rice cooker and, without knowing the identity of the sender, assumes it’s from her husband. What follows the opening of the package is one of the most unexpectedly tender moments you’ll ever see in any movie. It’s a beautiful piece of writing by Kapadia, and an even better acting moment from Kusruti. Not only is the moment itself unforgettable, but it nicely sets the tone for the rest of the film. Small emotional victories start to accumulate for Prabha, Anu, and their friend Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam) — the cook at the hospital — even in the face of great hardship. The film’s title is totally apt in this regard. What do we see as beneficial in our lives, or even possibly life-altering or life-defining, and how much of that scope is based on our limited preconceived imaginings (and/or the imaginings of others) of right and wrong; good and bad?
Despite her personal struggles, Prabha finds time to mentor Anu and help Parvaty fight against a developer who wants to demolish her home to build a high-rise. When Parvaty makes a key decision regarding her next steps, the film opens up whole new layers, leaving behind Mumbai midnights for sunnier, more wide-open vistas. This allows even more themes and ideas to breathe than before. It all culminates in an ending which I thought might turn cliché when I first saw it, but which turns on its head in a way I never expected, leaving us with more powerful messages about self-worth.
The joy of the film is seeing how these women self-actualize, despite being so devalued by their society. They do one of the most noble jobs of all, and yet their personal decisions seem so fraught with suspicion from all sides, some of which they have clearly internalized. As much as she would like to, Prabha can’t even emotionally reciprocate when the lovely Dr. Manoj (Azees Nedumangad) woos her with a beautiful poem, even though she hasn’t heard a peep from her husband for so long. Seeing her make a choice that is purely for her own happiness is a true delight, and the film earns those happy moments despite its sadder stretches. Anu and Shiaz must have their trysts in secret, which frustrates us as an audience because their romance is wonderful, and it isn’t causing anyone any harm. When they make fearless choices for themselves, those moments are as wonderful as Prabha’s. We see the elder Parvaty struggle with so much that her choice to let the sunshine in is incomparably beautiful, even if it has some bittersweet implications.
“Making it” in the big city and being liked by everyone aren’t the end-all, be-alls of life, and for many of us around the world, it can be hard to remember that at times. Sometimes, our souls call us to do what’s right for us and us alone. All We Imagine As Light is an impeccably crafted, superbly acted celebration of that whispering human soul and its capacity to brighten its own circumstances. | George Napper
