Payal Kapadia developing two films post 'All We Imagine...': All different pieces, set in Mumbai

New Delhi: Filmmaker Payal Kapadia says she is planning two films in the follow-up to "All We Imagine As Light", her surrealist drama that was one of the most celebrated films of 2024 and won the Grand Prix at the Cannes Film Festival.

The two projects along with "All We Imagine As Light" will form a triptych, all set in Mumbai, Kapadia told entertainment news outlet The Hollywood Reporters in Hong Kong, where the movie won the best film at the 18th Asian Film Awards.

“I have two new films in mind. Together with 'All We Imagine as Light', they will form like a triptych. Not a trilogy, because that would imply that they are a connected story. They will be different pieces, all set in Mumbai," Kapadia said.

"All We Imagine As Light", an official India-French co-production, follows the story of two Malayali women Prabha (Kani Kusruti) and Anu (Divya Prabha) and their friend and cook Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam) as they navigate love, longing and loss in Mumbai.

The film created history last year when it became the first Indian movie to win the Grand Prix award at the Cannes Film Festival. It was followed by nominations at major award ceremonies, including Golden Globes where the film received nods for Best Motion Picture Non-English Language and the Best Direction.

Though Kapadia didn't reveal much about her new ventures, she said she will continue to tell stories of women through her work.

"I’m always interested in Mumbai being a very accepting space for people from all over our country to come to live and work — especially from a woman’s point of view, because it’s not always easy for a woman to live alone in many parts of our country.

"There will be a lot (of) questions asked and she will feel that stigma. But in some cities — like Bangalore, Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai — these things are possible and accepted. So the next movie is again going to be simple stories about women — especially those working women from other parts of the country — and the difficulties and the pleasure of living in cities," the filmmaker said.

Music was an integral part of "All We Imagine As Light" and Kapadia said the new projects will be even more musically driven.

"I really enjoyed using music more in this film, and I now want to go even further and use music more narratively, like having it be part of the story in some way —where it’s not just helping the mise en scene, but has a narrative function," the filmmaker said.

"That’s something that I’m very excited about, because in Indian cinema, we love our songs. I want to find a way to incorporate the musicality of our Indian cinema more than I did before," she added.

Asked if she feels it will be easier to find financing for her future projects after the success of "All We Imagine As Light", Kapadia said her priority will aways be on her creative freedom.

"I’m pretty stubborn, so we’ll see. I prefer to stay true to the core of a film than to make concessions to some external forces. I will try my best to stick to that.

"It’s such a long process to make movies like this, so I think every time I’m going to learn something — and I’m just trying to stay totally open to what the next experience gives me," she added.