Payal Kapadia on All We Imagine As Light: From characters to cinematography

Filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light is set to release in India on November 22, 2024. The Grand Prix award-winning film features Divya Prabha, Kani Kusruti, Chayya Kadam, and Hridhu Haroon in leading roles. Ahead of its release, Kapadia shared insights into her creative process and the inspiration behind her characters in an interview with India Today Digital.
From the symbolic use of a rice cooker to the intentional graininess of the cinematography, Kapadia sheds light on her creative vision and the emotional depth of her storytelling as well.
Excerpts from the interview:
Payal, was there a particular reason you decided to start the film with voices of different languages over common visuals of Mumbai?
I wanted the film to begin with a kind of non-fiction approach, almost like a city symphony. You hear the many voices that makeup Mumbai, creating a collective hum of the city’s spirit. From this symphony, we focus on one voice, almost like a curtain opening, inviting viewers into the lives of these women—who are just one among the many stories unfolding in Mumbai.
How did you base the characters of Prabha and Parvathy? Did you draw any references from your personal life?
They were inspired by a blend of people I’ve met and some I know very closely. Prabha’s character is shaped by the absence in her life—her husband is in Germany, and she yearns for the conventional family she doesn’t have. But over time, she realises that her friends are her family. Her journey is about accepting this unconventional but deeply meaningful connection.
Parvathy, on the other hand, is quintessentially Mumbai. She’s a no-nonsense, practical woman who doesn’t dwell on self-pity. There’s no time for sadness in Mumbai, life demands quick decisions, even if they’re imperfect. Her character is drawn from many Maharashtrian women who came to Mumbai, made it their home, and became the backbone of their families. Parvathy embodies that resilient spirit—the force that keeps the city alive.
Can we speak about the poignant cooker scene where Prabha simply hugs it? What was your thought behind it?
The rice cooker became a powerful symbol for me to explore layers of Prabha’s emotions and societal expectations. Women are often told that certain objects—appliances, jewellery, or clothes—will transform their lives, particularly in the context of a family. The cooker is marketed as something that would serve a big family, but Prabha doesn’t have one. Yet she’s still drawn to it, happy to own it, as if it could fill a void.
The scene also plays with how advertisements romanticise such objects, giving them this golden glow and slow-motion appeal. It’s ironic and poignant because, for Prabha, the cooker becomes more than a kitchen appliance—it’s a symbol of the family life she yearns for but doesn’t have. Cinema allows us to amplify the significance of these small, everyday objects, and that’s what I aimed to do here.
Was the grainy cinematography in the film intentional?
Absolutely. I wanted to shoot much of the film in the evenings and at night, as that’s when the city comes alive for its residents. During the day, people work indoors, but the evenings and nights are their own—time for love, celebration, or reflection. The graininess adds warmth and texture, evoking the charm of old celluloid films.
For me, the darkness needed depth and life, not just a flat blackness. The grain created a sense of intimacy and nostalgia, aligning perfectly with the themes of the city and the lives we were exploring. It makes the night feel alive, full of stories and possibilities.
All We Imagine As Light has been praised for its evocative storytelling, blending dreamy visuals with profound themes that resonate with audiences worldwide. Kapadia’s distinct cinematic voice, which often explores the intersection of memory, identity, and dreams, continues to garner widespread acclaim.