'All We Imagine As Light', just like the title, takes us through what the protagonists in the film imagine their life to be like. Mumbai is a city that is both charming and chaotic at the same time and Payal Kapadia’s film draws us closer to that spirit of the city, which has fascinated filmmakers, both in India and the world over. In a way, ‘All We Imagine As Light’ connects deeper with the spirit of the city, welcoming two migrant nurses -- with open arms. One of them, Anu (Divya Prabha) is in her early 20s while Prabha (Kani Kusruti) is a bit more older and experienced. Both of them represent the migrant work force trying to find their way through the ups and downs of their personal life, with the sense of insecurity and clarity that is existent among people who move to a new city. Payal deftly captures these emotions. The screenplay by Payal is linear. It gives an immersive feel of the place and the emotions of the people associated with it.
In ‘All We Imagine As Light’, which won the prestigious Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival, we also get to see the large divide between the rich and poor when Parvaty (Chhaya Khadam), who works as a kitchen help at the hospital, is forced to vacate the only home she knows for an upcoming project. 'After all, you are a nobody if you don’t have papers', a dejected Parvaty tells Prabha during one of their conversations.
The lives of these three women are intertwined, though their characters are different. Anu, filled with the exuberance and naivety of youth, is in love with Mumbai. “I can’t imagine going back. Can you?” she asks Prabha, one day. The city and its lights seem brighter for the young nurse who is also basking in her new found love with Shiaz (Hridhu Haroon).
Prabha’s outlook to life is more subdued probably because of her ambiguous relationship with her husband, who has apparently left her post their marriage and never tried to keep in touch. Though she seems detached from reality, we get a glimpse of her real emotions at times. Like when she hugs the rice cooker she supposedly receives from her husband in Germany and sobs in the middle of the night. To make things more complicated, Dr Manoj (Azees Nedumangad) also expresses his interest in her.
The blue light and jazz-infused background music highlight the film’s setting and sensibilities and you know that the movie is in capable hands. Payal also offers us a better view of nursing life and her sense of humour is apparent in the way she infuses comical aspects in the film.
In one of her earlier interviews, Payal had said that the title of the film was associated with hope. Overall, the movie leaves us with a sense of hope when we are not even sure it exists.