Payal Kapadia, the director of the Cannes Grand Prix-winning film All We Imagine As Light, made it to the TIME100 Next 2024 list, which honours influential figures from various fields. Her film made history as the first Indian entry into competition at the Cannes Film Festival in 30 years. Her recognition comes just a day after All We Imagine As Light premiered in theatres across France. In a note for TIME magazine, actor Ayushmann Khurrana lauded Payal Kapadia for her exceptional talent and her ability to portray the human experience on film.
The note read, "Payal Kapadia is nothing short of a trailblazer. Her 2024 film, All We Imagine as Light, made history this year as the first from India to win the Cannes Grand Prix. The movie is a master class of emotions-deeply reflective, philosophical, and meditative in its approach. There is a powerful believability to how she portrays the human experience onscreen. Her authenticity and her lens on reality are part of what makes her work so rare."
Ayushmann, who was the only actor to be chosen for the 2023 edition of the TIME100 Impact Awards, added, "I'm proud to be living in an era where I could witness a talent like Payal showing the world that Indian stories resonate universally, transcending geographies and languages. Her win will inspire other filmmakers and artists to follow in her footsteps and think big. India is a young country of more than 1.4 billion people. We have 1.4 billion stories to tell, and Payal has boldly, loudly, and brilliantly told everyone to pursue their dreams. It would be an honour to work with her, and to engage with her mind."
ICYDK, All We Imagine As Light, a Malayalam-Hindi film tells the story of two nurses from Kerala, Prabha (played by Kani Kusruti) and Anu (Divya Prabha), who share a life in Mumbai. This project is an official Indo-French co-production, brought to life by Chalk and Cheese Films in India and Petit Chaos in France. Titled Prabhayay Ninachathellam in Malayalam, the film debuted in selected cinema halls in Kerala on September 21, released by Rana Daggubati's Spirit Media. The film will soon be available in major cities across India, also under the distribution of Spirit Media. The film features Chhaya Kadam in a supporting role.