All We Imagine as Light (2024)

"Prabha" (Kani Kusruti) is a nurse in a busy Mumbai hospital who shares her tiny apartment with the usually skint "Anu" (Divya Prabha). We quickly learn that she is married but her husband left her some while ago to work in Germany and she hasn't heard from him in over a year. "Anu", on the other hand, has a different emotional problem. She has fallen in love with a young Muslim man "Shiaz" (Hridhu Haroon) but knows full well that neither her colleagues nor her family will ever permit such a relationship, let alone any marriage - so perhaps elopement is their only solution. Meantime, whilst these women deal with their own domestic issues, their friend "Parvaty" (Chhaya Kadam) is facing eviction from her home as the developers want to move in. Their threats have given way to more practical action as her electricity has been disconnected. In the face of this, she decides it's time to return to her ocean-side village where at least she has her own home. Sympathetic to her plight, the two friends agree to accompany her and it's whilst there that we discover through conversation and flash-backs a little of just how each woman found themselves where they are now, and we take a look at what opportunities might present themselves for their futures. It's a delicately presented story this, set amongst the hustle and bustle of a city that never stops. These women care about others all the time, but are gradually becoming aware that they also have to start caring more about themselves - and for "Prabha" who has attracted the interest of the kindly "Dr. Manoj" (Azees Nedumangad) she has to decide whether to remain faithful to her past or look to what might be next. There's some solid photography throughout capturing both the lively (and frequently rainy) urban busyness as well as the beauty of the water and the ancient peaceful symbolism carved in the caves, and the whole thrust of the narrative illustrates poignantly the choices (or lack of them) that these women can make in a society where conformity is the order of the day. It can be quite fun at times too, these women are not sackcloth and ashes characters, but there's still a potent message that creates an engaging and characterful study that's well worth a couple of hours.

Invariably, there’s always one film release each year that’s vastly and inexplicably overrated, both in terms of critical acclaim and awards season recognition, and this disappointing, tediously paced slog tops my list of candidates for 2024. Writer-director Payal Kapadia’s examination of contemporary working class conditions in Mumbai follows the stories of three women who struggle with getting by financially, vocationally and personally, all of them having relocated to the city from their rural roots in search of illusory, overpromised opportunities. The picture has been widely praised for its gentle treatment of its subject, along with its sensitive and nuanced handling of its principals’ lives. To me, however, this is a politely euphemistic way of saying it’s boring (I can’t recall how many times I checked my watch during the screening I attended). Moreover, this offering tries unsuccessfully to cover too much ground (and not very well at that), including an array of topics ranging from loneliness to fiscal hardship to gentrification to outmoded traditions and more. I also don’t find this offering to be especially groundbreaking in terms of its subject matter; its themes of working class struggles and personal isolation, in my estimation, are addressed far more effectively in other Indian films like “The Lunchbox” (2013) and “Fire in the Mountains” (2021), which present more compelling and more engaging treatments of their stories (watch those pictures instead). On top of all this, there are some narrative elements that don’t feel sufficiently fleshed out or that are either implausible or woefully executed surrealistically (it’s subtlety often makes it hard to tell which is truly the case). Admittedly, the film’s aesthetics, such as its cinematography, have much going for them, but they’re not nearly enough to make up for the picture’s larger and more significant shortcomings. At the risk of being ridiculed, I truly don’t believe “All We Imagine as Light” is rightfully worthy of the many accolades it has received from the Golden Globe Awards, the Critics Choice Awards, the Independent Spirit Awards, the National Board of Review, and the Cannes and Chicago Film Festivals, among others. With so many other (and better) international film offerings out there, it’s regrettable that these competitions and festivals have squandered nominations and awards on this needlessly hyped undercooked release.