All We Imagine as Light: A Raw, Heartfelt Ode to Mumbai’s Outsiders
In the bustling, relentless chaos of Mumbai, All We Imagine as Light unfolds as a poignant exploration of lives on the margins. Directed with understated brilliance, this film goes beyond being a mere story—it is a deeply emotional dive into the lives of outsiders, especially those from the lower class, who arrive in this city with dreams of a better future. Mumbai, often referred to as the city of dreams, is both a refuge and a battleground for these individuals.
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Looking at Mumbai Through Outsider’s Lens
At the heart of the film are three women: Prabha (Kani Kusruti), Anu (Divya Prabha), and Parvathy (Chaya Kadam), whose intertwined stories paint a vivid picture of resilience, longing, and quiet acceptance. Prabha, a nurse who has spent years in Mumbai, is haunted by the absence of her estranged husband. Her life is steeped in a quiet yearning for closure, for answers that never seem to arrive. Anu, her roommate and colleague at the hospital, is everything Prabha is not—bold, free-spirited, and eager to embrace life on her own terms. Yet, Anu’s world is not without its struggles. She is romantically involved with a Muslim man, which subjects her to societal judgment and whispers. This highlights the deep-rooted challenges of navigating religious differences in a society that often treats them as barriers.
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Then there’s Parvathy, whose story is perhaps the most heartbreaking of all. A widow living alone, she faces eviction from her home by aggressive developers. Without the legal proof to claim tenancy, her life becomes a quiet battle for dignity. Ultimately, developers force her to leave the place she’s called home for decades—a devastating reminder of how the powerless are often trampled in the name of progress.
The film is as much about these individual stories as it is about the collective experience of being an outsider in Mumbai. For the lower-class workers who come here with hopes of better lives, the city is both a dream and a nightmare—a place that promises opportunity but also relentlessly tests their resilience. Through its raw and unvarnished portrayal of these women, the film gives voice to the struggles of those who live on the fringes, who often go unnoticed in the city’s fast-paced blur.
Mumbai itself plays a pivotal role in the narrative. The city is not just a backdrop but a living, breathing character—a place that represents freedom and confinement in equal measure. Its streets pulse with the energy of those chasing dreams.
Life in its Most Authentic Form
What sets All We Imagine as Light apart is its commitment to realism. There’s no melodrama here, no overly dramatic twists—just life, captured in its most authentic form. The visual style, raw and documentary-like, draws you into the lives of its characters, making you feel their emotions rather than just observe them. It’s a film that demands emotional engagement, asking its audience to sit with the complexities of its characters’ lives.
Kani Kusruti delivers a masterclass in restrained yet powerful acting as Prabha. Her portrayal is layered and heartbreakingly real, making her character’s silent struggles deeply relatable. Divya Prabha’s performance as Anu injects the film with vibrant energy, her character’s rebellious streak providing a counterpoint to Prabha’s subdued demeanor. Chaya Kadam as Parvathy delivers a performance that lingers long after the credits roll, embodying quiet resilience and heartbreak in equal measure.
A Movie That Needs to Be Felt
By the film’s end, all three women arrive at a place of acceptance. It’s not the triumphant closure one might expect, but a quiet, bittersweet peace with their circumstances. Prabha continues her life without the resolution she longed for. Anu navigates the challenges of her relationship with determination but also with the awareness of societal obstacles. Parvathy, though displaced, finds a semblance of dignity in her forced new beginning. The film doesn’t tie their stories up neatly—it leaves them open, raw, and painfully honest, much like life itself.
Winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes, All We Imagine as Light is not a film you watch to make sense of—it’s one you feel. It shines a spotlight on the struggles of those who come to Mumbai, especially women, hoping for better lives but finding themselves caught in the crossfire of societal and systemic challenges. Above all, it is a love letter to resilience, a testament to the strength it takes to exist in a world that often feels stacked against you.
This is a film that stays with you, not because of what it says, but because of what it makes you feel.
I can’t stop talking about films, so I blog!
I started The FourthWall, my film blog, to share my thoughts on films and shows with fellow movie buffs, and over the years it has become my happy place. Come join in for some interesting conversations on cinema… and sometimes books and fashion!
