BREAKING: All We Imagine As Light to release in India on November 22; Payal Kapadia BREAKS silence on Laapataa Ladies’ Oscar selection; also bets on USA release for an entry to the Oscars : Bollywood News – Bollywood Hungama

All We Imagine As Light, the first film from India to compete in the main competition at the Cannes Film Festival since 1994, and which also won the Grand Prix, is all set to have a grand premiere at the MAMI Film Festival tomorrow, Friday, October 18. Today, a press conference was held which was attended by director Payal Kapadia and actor Rana Daggubati. The latter is distributing the film in India.

BREAKING: All We Imagine As Light to release in India on November 22; Payal Kapadia BREAKS silence on Laapataa Ladies’ Oscar selection; also bets on USA release for an entry to the Oscars

When asked about the Cannes honour, Payal Kapadia flashed her wonderful smile and said, “The experience was surreal. It took many, many years for it to be made. Hence, being selected in this way was a very pleasant surprise and honour. All of this leads to one thing that I am most excited about is that the film is going to be released in India and that people will go and buy a ticket to watch my movie!”

Rana Daggubati was then asked to do the honours of announcing the India release date. He introduced himself by saying “I am not exactly known for such films”, thus raising laughs. He then revealed, “All We Imagine As Light will have a large, Pan-Indian theatrical release on November 22. It’s a huge honour for us to be a part of this film and bring it to the audience.”

Interestingly, All We Imagine As Light had a limited release in Kerala on September 21 to make it eligible for the Oscars. Rana explained, “For me, it was like a regular Malayalam film. It was not an independent cinema in that sense. With this film, we are trying to break the format of how independent films should be released in India. It can’t take the route of having a wide release and 30 days of promotion. It needs a different cycle. Hence, it started with a release in Kerala. We want to keep moving across states. Tomorrow, there’s a screening at MAMI. There’ll be similar screening in a bunch of states before it releases nationwide.”

Many were dejected when Kiran Rao’s Laapataa Ladies (2024), produced by Aamir Khan, was selected for the Oscars and not All We Imagine As Light. Payal Kapadia was asked about it and she said, “Laapataa Ladies is a great film. Hence, I was happy (with its Oscar selection).”

She added, “It’s a wonderful film. We all saw it and loved it. I also loved Kiran Rao’s previous film, Dhobi Ghat (2011). Hence, I was happy that it’s a film that’s going to go to the Oscars.”

However, Payal Kapadia made people hopeful by confessing that All We Imagine As Light still has a chance at the Oscars, “It’s going to release in the USA on November 15. If you have friends there, please tell them! Once it is released there, the distribution team (can take a call if it can go to the Oscars).”

Also Read: All We Imagine as Light trailer unveils Payal Kapadia’s Cannes 2024 Grand Prix-winning film, releasing in India on November 15