'Unbelievable day for Indian cinema': Varun Grover, Anurag Kashyap, Richa Chadha and others laud 'All That We Imagine As Light's big win at Cannes 2024

Team of All That We Imagine As Light after winning Grand Prix

On the last day of Cannes 2024 Film Festival, India scripted history as Payal Kapadia's 'All That We Imagine As Light' won the Grand Prix. The film that stars Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha and Chayya Kadam in pivotal roles narrates a tale of female friendship against the backdrop of Mumbai. 'All That We Imagine As Light' became the first Indian film in 30 years to be selected for the main competition (Palme d'Or).

"This film is about the friendship between three different women and often times women are pitted against each other. This is the way our society is designed and it is really unfortunate. But for me, friendship is an important relationship. It can lead to greater solidarity and inclusivity and empathy towards each other which is why I feel these are the values which we should always strive for," Payal said in her acceptance speech receiving a thunderous applause.

Soon after the win was announced, members from the Indian film community took to social media to celebrate the big win by Payal Kapadia and her team.

Filmmaker Anurag Kashyap was among the first to congratulate the team and called Payal 'hope and inspiration'.

Richa Chadha took to her X handle and reacted to the win. "HISTORIC!!! 🥹Just beaming from this news! Congratulations Payal Kapadia, Ranabir Das, Kani Kusruti, Divya Prabha, Hridhu Haroon, Chhaya Kadam and the whole team of ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT! Just overjoyed! Independent filmmaking at any point of time is hard, but now is actively scuttled , and then to win a GRAND PRIX ! Ooof. Just thrilled."

Writer-director Varun Grover also shared his joy for the moment. "Unbelievable day for Indian cinema. An independent filmmaker - from much hated FTII - whose first film was a poetic love letter to the idea of dissent in a democracy, wins the second highest honour at the biggest film festival in the world. Payal Kapadia's ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT wins GRAND PRIX. Magical to see four Indian women on stage at Cannes. Dissent, in art and in life, is a tough path to choose. But sometimes it does create magic," he wrote.

Parvathy, Tovino Thomas and others also celebrated the win through social media.