'Everything We Imagine Is Light' succeeds among young Indian audiences

Resonating with young audiences in India, Payal Kapadia's Everything We Imagine Is Light explores themes of urban displacement and choice of family, deeply resonating with a generation living in metropolitan cities.

Everything We Imagine Is Light explores the contemporary working class of Mumbai through the lives of three women. The story revolves around two roommates working in a city hospital – head nurse Prabha (Kani Khushruti) and newly hired Anu (Divya Prabha) – and their colleague chef Paava Ti (played by Chaya Kadam) expands. The story follows their interconnected lives: Prabha's arranged-marriage husband lives in Germany and attracts the attention of hospital doctors; Anu carries on a secret affair with a Muslim man against the wishes of her strict Hindu family; Parvati is in danger of being suddenly kicked out of her home.

“This is a story about finding your feet in the big city, overcoming the challenges of isolation, and the beauty of sisterhood and friendship,” publisher Spirit Media tells us. typeexplaining the film's particular appeal to younger audiences. “These experiences in many ways echo the journey many young people take as they try to make sense of life in today’s fast-paced world.”

Its subtitled, multilingual format has proven successful in different territories, with Spirit Media noting that “word-of-mouth for the film is indeed growing week by week and is spreading widely through social media.”

The film's momentum in India has accelerated after being nominated for Golden Globe Awards for Best Director and Best Non-English Film, allowing Spirit Media to expand its theatrical footprint into Tier 2 cities across the country.

“The Golden Globe nomination was really helpful in promoting the film again,” Kapadia said. “A lot of Indian media picked up the story. It brought the film back into the spotlight. We were able to do a second round of releases because we saw people on Twitter from Bhubaneswar, Kanpur, Chandi New needs in different cities such as Gard.”

Kapadia praised Spirit Media for venturing into independent films. “There are distributors who are willing to make other films that are different from the big studio films,” she said. “When there's this crossover, it would be really great for Indian independent cinema if people start to realize that it's good for everyone.”

This re-release follows the start of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix and an impressive slate of international awards. The film has since been named the No. 1 film of the year by The New York Times, The Associated Press, Sight & Sound magazine, and the Film Review Critics Poll, and won Best International from the New York Film Critics Circle and Los Angeles Film Awards. Feature Film Critics Circle Honors, Chicago Film Critics Circle, and San Diego Film Critics Circle.

As Oscar voting approaches, distribution companies Janus Films and Sideshow are managing the awards campaign, along with Film Marketing and PR and Divergent PR. “They really knew what they were doing,” Kapadia said of their efforts to screen the film for Academy voters.

Looking ahead, Kapadia revealed plans for two more films set in Mumbai, possibly forming a trilogy. “I’m thinking of doing two more films in Mumbai,” she says, though she notes that the concept is still in its early stages. “But these things change every month.”