‘All We Imagine As Light’ captivated the audience at the gala like no other Indian film in recent memory, earning it an eight-minute standing ovation at Cannes following its screening and excellent reviews from the international press.
Image Source: Press Trust of India
The actor Kani Kusruti of Payal Kapadia’s ‘All we Imagine as Light’ film dedicates the ‘surreal’ Grand Prix win of the film at the Cannes to the countless women who didn’t get a chance to showcase their talents.
Last Saturday, ‘Anora’ directed by Sean Baker won the top award of the Palme d’Or at the 77th Cannes film festival, making Payal Kapadia the first Indian Filmmaker to receive the Grand Prix, the second highest honor for ‘All we imagine as Light’.
Being the first Indian film to reach the main competition of the European gala in thirty years—the last being Shaji N Karun’s 1994 Malayalam feature Swaham—All We Imagine As Light was already attracting attention.
Kusruti, with tears of happiness in her eyes expressed her happiness stating that Payal Kapadia genuinely deserved it. “It seems strange… That sense that winning the Grand Prix was historic for her… At that moment, I was ecstatic. It was almost too good to be true”. In an interview with PTI, Kusruti said, “I felt that Payal had won on stage, but at the same time, I was somehow reminded of all the women who never got the chance to showcase their talent, who we haven’t recognized in life.”
“I felt like this is for every woman in India who was unable to be on that stage” says the actor.
Image Source: Livemint
The Malayalam-Hindi movie centers on Mumbai nurse Prabha, played by Kusruti, whose life falls apart after her husband, who is no longer with her, gives her a rice cooker. Divya Prabha performs as her roommate and coworker, Anu, who is having trouble finding a quiet place in the city where she can spend quality time with her lover. Property developers are forcing Prabha’s best friend Parvati (Chaya Kadam), a widow, from her house.
When asked if her life or career will change as a result of her Cannes award, Kusruti, 38, responded, “I don’t think any change will happen in my career and that is not how a change should happen in an artist’s life.”
“All We Imagine As Light” performed at the gala like no other Indian film in recent memory, earning an eight-minute standing ovation at Cannes following its screening and excellent reviews from the foreign press. As moviegoers “seek all kinds of expressions” at such international festivals, the actor claimed that the film’s appeal was mostly felt by French and foreign audiences.
“The movie’s characters go through intensely personal experiences, but they also have universal appeal. They will inevitably find resonance with the filmgoer base that actively seeks out diverse cinematic offerings at festivals.” Kapadia’s script was praised by Kusruti as being “poetic, tender, fine yet very moving”. She also gave credit for the work of film editor Clement Pinteaux and Cinematographer Ranabir Das.
“When you read her script, you will cry. I discovered Payal had maintained the essence of the original work after reading the script and watching the film. The music, the editing by Clement, the manner Ranabir shot, and the placement of everything was on point” she continued.
During media encounters in Cannes, Kapadia and Kusruti both lauded the flourishing Malayalam cinema industry as a refuge for both independent and commercial films. With the exception of a rough period in the 2000s, the actor insists Malayalam film was always a hub for “unique stories” regardless of budget, whether it was in the 1970s, 1980s, or early 1990s. She continued, “It’s possible that approach to these stories through streaming platforms has changed.”
