Payal Kapadia’s Next Films Will Continue Mumbai’s Untold Women’s Stories

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After a long and arduous journey, Indian filmmaker Payal Kapadia’s Mumbai-based drama “All We Imagine as Light” was finally awarded the top prize at the 18th Asia Film Awards in Hong Kong last week. This latest accolade marks the end of a nearly year-long journey that started with the film receiving the Grand Prix at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. Along the way, the film garnered critical acclaim and numerous honors, including a Golden Globe nomination, sparking an unfortunate and unfair Oscars controversy in India, and securing a theatrical release in over 50 countries – a remarkable feat for a low-budget independently financed Indian feature.

Now, at last, Kapadia can begin focusing on new projects. 

Kapadia shared that he has thought of two fresh movie ideas. He made this statement to The Hollywood Reporter during a conversation in Hong Kong before the AFAs. Alongside “All We Imagine as Light,” these films will create a triptych-like arrangement, not a traditional trilogy, since they are independent stories rather than a single narrative thread. All of them will be set in Mumbai.

In terms of style, Kapadia anticipates that her upcoming work will resemble the poetic realism found in “All We Imagine as Light”. As a former documentary filmmaker, her techniques learned from this field significantly influence her approach to narrative filmmaking. A large portion of “All We Imagine as Light” was filmed using the cinéma vérité technique on the bustling streets of Mumbai, seamlessly weaving the city’s relentless energy into the personal narratives of the main characters.

Kapadia states that a significant part of his unique style is rooted in his creative process. For the movie ‘All We Imagine as Light‘, he preferred to capture scenes directly on the street while also writing the script. He would gather extensive footage using a compact camera, then return to writing. The camera served as a tool during his research, influencing the film’s structure and content.

The method is clearly visible when you watch the completed movie. As THR‘s critic succinctly described the opening scene of All We Imagine as Light: “The camera smoothly moves through Mumbai’s streets at night, passing vibrant markets bathed in fluorescent light, each resembling miniature cities. The soundtrack features locals discussing their experiences in India’s bustling metropolis: ‘I always have the sense that I’m about to depart,’ one person notes. Eventually, we zero in on a woman journeying home by train, and the narrative unfolds from there.

In “All We Imagine as Light,” I found myself immersed in the interwoven tales of three Mumbai residents: A noble head nurse, longing for her husband stationed in Germany who visited India only once during their hastily-arranged marriage; a vibrant young colleague and roommate, daring to challenge societal norms by nurturing an affair with a young Muslim man; and an elderly cook from the hospital, facing eviction from her humble home at the hands of a ruthless developer aiming to construct a towering skyscraper on its site. Amidst Mumbai’s chaos and hardships, these women discovered camaraderie — a fragile yet beautiful bond that sustained them.

Kapadia chose not to disclose specifics about her upcoming works, but she confirmed that they would continue to revolve around the narratives of women in India’s bustling metropolis.

From a gamer’s perspective, I can’t help but appreciate Mumbai as a welcoming hub for individuals nationwide, particularly women. It’s not always a breeze for a woman to reside independently across many regions in our country; questions are often asked, and there’s a lingering stigma. However, cities like Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata, and Mumbai buck this trend, offering opportunities and acceptance. So, anticipate another film brimming with straightforward narratives about women, specifically working women hailing from different parts of our country, delving into the challenges and joys of urban life.

A significant part of the emotional impact in “All We Imagine as Light” comes from its skillfully chosen soundtrack. Kapadia hints that her upcoming projects will feature an even stronger emphasis on music.

She expresses her delight in incorporating music more significantly within this movie and is eager to push boundaries further. Instead of merely enhancing the visual setting, she aims for music to play a storytelling role, serving as an integral part of the plot – not just a decorative element. This is something that excites her greatly, as it allows her to explore how Indian cinema’s musicality can be more effectively woven into narratives, surpassing her previous efforts in this regard.

The film titled “All We Imagine as Light” was jointly produced by a group of small-scale European and Indian independent production houses, with funds gathered from various grants. Following the movie’s domestic and global success, securing financing for Kapadia and her team’s upcoming projects should be less daunting. However, the director has not started contemplating financiers yet and will continue to value creative independence above all else, regardless of new opportunities that may arise.

She chuckles and admits, ‘I can be quite determined,’ implying she’s unlikely to change course easily. Rather than compromising a movie for outside influences, I choose to stay faithful to its essence.

She notes: “Creating films of this caliber takes a lot of time, so I believe there’s always something new to learn. I’m merely keeping an open mind to embrace whatever the next phase offers me.

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2025-03-28 09:25