Film Information
The light, the lives, and the textures of contemporary, working-class Mumbai are explored and celebrated with a vivid, humane richness by Payal Kapadia in her revelatory fiction feature debut.
Centering on two roommates who also work together in a city hospital—head nurse Prabha (Kani Kusruti) and recent hire Anu (Divya Prabha)—and a newly retired coworker Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam), Kapadia’s film alights on prosaic moments of connection and heartache, hope and disappointment. Prabha, her husband from an arranged marriage living in faraway Germany, is pursued by a courtly doctor; Anu carries on a romance with a Muslim man, which she must keep a secret from her Hindu family; Parvaty finds herself dealing with a sudden eviction from her apartment.
Reviews
“STUNNING. A luminous slice of Mumbai life. Like a dream, this is a film that washes over you... A reminder of the transcendent power of cinema.” – Associated Press
“The heat, hustle, glory and grind of modern-day Mumbai give way to something all the more mysterious and ever so beguiling in Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine as Light…an expansive and intimate feature.” – The Wrap
Accolades
Winner • Grand Prix at Cannes 2024
Winner • Best International Film at 2025 New York Film Critics Circle Awards
Winner • Best International Feature at 2024 Gotham Awards
Nominee • Best Foreign Language Film at 2025 Golden Globes (Pending)
Nominee • Best Director at 2025 Golden Globes (Pending)
Nominee • Best Foreign Language Film at 2025 Critics Choice Awards (Pending)
Film Stills
