What’s Next For Payal Kapadia’s All We Imagine As Light?

‘It
is
for
the
first
time
that
a
film
of
mine
will
be
released
in
theatres
and
Indian
audiences
will
finally
be
able
to
buy
tickets
and
experience
it
on
a
big
screen,
where
cinema
truly
comes
to
life.’

There’s
no
slowing
down
for
Payal
Kapadia’s

All
We
Imagine
As
Light.

From
becoming
the
first
Indian
film
in
30
years
to
compete
in
the
main
competition
of
2024
Cannes
Film
Festival
to
receiving
an
eight
minute
standing
ovation
at
the
festival
and
then
winning
the
Grand
Prix
award,
which
was
presented
by
Hollywood
royalty
Viola
Davis,
it’s
been
a
journey
of
many
pinch-me
moments
for
Director
Payal
Kapadia
and
her
incredible
team.

After
making
waves
internationally,
the
film
is
now
set
for
homecoming
as
it
releases
in
cinemas
on
November
22
across
India.
Payal
couldn’t
have
been
happier,
and
her
biggest
joy
is
that
“people
will
be
buying
a
ticket”
to
watch
her
film.

“I
am
incredibly
excited
for
the
next
phase.
It
is
for
the
first
time
that
a
film
of
mine
will
be
released
in
theatres
and
Indian
audiences
will
finally
be
able
to
buy
tickets
and
experience
it
on
a
big
screen,
where
cinema
truly
comes
to
life,”
a
visibly
excited
Payal
told
a
media
conference
on
Thursday,
October
17,
2024.

Southern
star
Rana
Daggubati,
whose
banner
Spirit
Media,
will
present
the
film
in
India
joined
Payal
at
the
interaction.

WATCH:
Rana
Daggubati
shares
what
he
loved
about

All
We
Imagine
As
Light.

Speaking
about
his
association
with
Payal’s
film,
Rana
said
it
will
mark
the
beginning
of
a
“beautiful
partnership”
between
mainstream
and
independent
cinema,
and
an
eventual
new
phase
for
the
Indian
film
industry.

“Even
after
20
years
in
the
industry,
I
fail
to
understand
what
is
indie
and
what
is
mainstream.
We
have
always
thought
that
cinema
which
has
song
and
dance
is
mainstream
cinema
and
everything
that
has
a
unique
story
and
emotions
became
independent
because
it
was
always
hard
to
release
a
film
without
big
stars
and
big
names
attached
to
it.
Now,
I
think
India
has
gone
to
that
phase,”
Rana
said.

It
was
the
success
of
the

Baahubali
films,
which
he
starred
in
as
the
main
villain,
that
film-makers
started
thinking
of
projects
with
a
pan-Indian
appeal,
Rana
added.

“In
India,
once
we
know
something
works,
we
scale
it
up.
It
is
ultimately
about
knowing
your
audience
and
finding
them,”
the
actor
explained.

WATCH:
Rana
Daggubati
speaks
about
his
idea
of
pan
India
cinema

Payal
took
the
opportunity
to
address
various
issues
that
plague
independent
film-making
voices
in
the
country
and
emphasised
on
having
a
well-realised
eco-system
for
alternative
cinema
in
India.

“As
indie
film-makers,
the
challenge
is
at
every
step,”
the
film-maker
said.
“Even
if
you
get
funding
from
India
completely,
the
next
step
is
distribution,
where
does
it
get
shown?
So
indie
film-makers
are
struggling
at
every
step
of
the
way.”

She
cited
the
examples
of


Mahesh
Narayanan‘s
2022
film



Ariyippu
and


Rima
Das‘s
upcoming
film

Village
Rockstars
2,
and
said
indie
films
also
deserve
a
nationwide
theatrical
release.

“Until
a
few
years
ago,
we
used
to
get
grants.
There
was
also
distribution.
We
need
to
have
aaccess
to
funding
or
industries
could
meet
each
other
because
to
make
independent
films,
it
doesn’t
cost
that
much,”
Payal
remarked.

“If
there’s
a
way
we
can
communicate
with
each
other
and
no
matter
how
small
or
big
a
film
is,
it
can
get
financed,
wouldn’t
that
be
nice?
The
more
films
there
are,
the
more
diversity
there
is.
It
makes
for
a
thriving
film
industry,”
Payal
added,
rather
hopefully.

The
Indo-French
co-production,
which
opened
to
glowing
reviews
from
international
critics
following
its
gala
premiere
at
Cannes
on
May
23,
features
impressive
actors
Kani
Kusruti,
Divya
Prabha
and
Chhaya
Kadam.
The
multi-lingual
drama
revolves
around
three
nurses
as
they
navigate
their
lives
in
bustling
Mumbai.

WATCH:
Payal
Kapadia
on
what
makes
Mumbai
such
an
interesting
subject
for
her,
a
city
where
she
was
born
and
yet
remained
distant
from.

Given
its
tremendous
festival
run
and
international
acclaim,
Payal’s
film
was
seen
as
a
strong
bet
as
India’s
entry
at
Oscars
2025
in
the
Best
International
Feature
Film
category.

The
film,
however,
lost
out
to
Kiran
Rao’s
social
drama

Laapataa
Ladies.

When
a
mediaperson
asked
if
the
snub
for

All
We
Imagine
As
Light
hurt
her,
Payal
responded
with
a
smile,
“Laapataa
Ladies
is
a
great
film.
It’s
a
wonderful
film.
All
of
us
saw
it
and
loved
it.
I
loved
Kiran
Rao’s
previous
film
as
well.
I
am
just
happy
that
it’s
selected
and
it’s
the
film
that’s
going
to
be
there.”

When
quizzed
if
she
would
try
at
taking

All
We
Imagine
As
Light
to
the
Oscars
independently,
Payal
said,
“It’s
going
to
release
in
America
on
November
15.
The
distribution
will
decide
that
once
it
releases
what’s
the
response.
We
will
see.”