Payal Kapadia‘s film All We Imagine As Light is on a roll. The film continues to earn international recognition. The director recently sat down for an interview with NDTV and spoke about her experience working with Chhaya Kadam, Divya Prabha and Kani Kusruti.
Payal said, “Working with the three actors – Chhaya Kadam, Divya Prabha and Kani Kusruti – was the greatest thing for me in this movie. For me, it was my first film, and for them, they are very experienced actors. They were so generous and supportive of me. They gave me so much time. They were collaborators – they improvised together. We all stayed together for three weeks, trying out all the scenes as if we were preparing for a theatre production. “
“It’s rare to find people who are so generous, especially actors who are so busy. I truly feel that it was because of them that this film has come alive. They are amazing artists and incredible human beings. We are all friends now, and I’m really happy. It’s been a great experience for me getting to know them and working with them,” added the ace filmmaker.
At this year’s Golden Globes, Payal Kapadia narrowly missed out on the prestigious Best Director award. The film also lost an award in the Best Non-English Language Motion Picture category.
Additionally, the film has also been longlisted for three BAFTA awards. The British Academy recently revealed the longlists for the 2024 BAFTA Film Awards, where the film is nominated in the categories of Best Director, Original Screenplay and Best Film Not in the English Language.
The film also earned a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film at the 2025 Critics Choice Awards last month. Starring Kani Kasruti, Divya Prabha, Chhaya Kadam and Hridhu Haroon, the film has earned a place in a competitive category alongside Emilia Perez, Flow, I’m Still Here, Kneecap and The Seed of the Sacred Fig.
All We Imagine As Light made history last year as the first Indian film to win the coveted Grand Prix at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. It has since collected a range of prestigious honours, including the Jury Grand Prize at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, Best International Feature at the Gotham Awards, and Best International Film at the New York Film Critics Circle, among others.
Due to its growing recognition, the film has been re-released in select Indian cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, and Bhubaneswar, following its initial theatrical release on November 22.
