What’s surprising about All We Imagine as Light is not just the tenderness among its struggling women but that it remains present in the mess of modern problems of Mumbai. As in reality, the daily issues of the nurses Prabha and Anu are not exclusive to India. They struggle with long hours, making rent, and romances that are hard to maintain. Through it all, comfort is still found while fighting for what is right when life seems most intimidating, like a breath of fresh air amid so much claustrophobia.

Considering all the mounting anxiety, it’s remarkable how few frustrations boil over into explosions of anger. Prabha (Kani Kusruti) is caught between the longing for her estranged husband in another country and the plight of her hospital’s cook in her own country. The cook, Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam), has her chawl threatened by greedy land developers, where a technicality will legally kick her out of her home. Prabha’s roommate, Anu (Divya Prabha), has her own set of problems. Her man is in her own backyard, but he might as well be on the other side of the world. Shiaz (Hridhu Haroon) is Muslim, and they try to keep their romance a secret in public and are passionate behind closed doors. There’s a sexual desire within both Prabha and Anu. With Anu becoming more open with Shiaz’s advances, a witnessing Prabha finds herself drawn towards something more fulfilling, especially with the romantic advances of the doctor, Manoj (Azees Nedumangad). So, there’s a lot going on, to say nothing of the problems that befall the hospital’s women patients, where it feels like the nurses have to keep their care instructions as hidden as their love lives.

There’s some stirring drama for city life with small moments of joy. Although Anu seems like an annoying roommate with her inability to pay rent, Prabha still finds the good inside Anu. They can see the good in each other and have solid chemistry, sharing moments of caring for the cat in their apartment. They connect so well that when romance threatens to upend their relationship, they can recognize when friendships are more favorable than a husband who isn’t there or a sexual affair with unbalanced power. This deeper contemplation becomes more apparent when the two leads venture off to Ratnagiri village to help Parvaty relocate. As a break from the city’s noise, there’s time to find what matters most in life. There’s time for love, sex, and being more honest when not handling patients, concealing relationships, or hustling to maintain your job and residence. There’s a quietness as the film ends with a night chat at the beach, embracing the moment rather than fearing the next day.

All We Imagine as Light presents a portrait of modern Indian women that is as engrossing and complicated as it is enlightening and comforting. Director Payal Kapadia frames this picture with such a thoughtful eye that takes in the little moments of introspection as much as the candid moments of everyday life. Scenes of looking out the apartment window at the lights of the city are just as entrancing as the sexual affairs of relationships fulfilled and denied. The deeper focus on the details prevents this type of story from falling into the camp of melodrama. The result is a film that feels more alive with its characters rather than using them as tools for romantic drama. With such earnest portrayals of women and their environments, there’s a refreshing reflection on the screen that makes this film linger in the mind beyond whether or not these characters will get married, find love again, or be able to live a life of happiness. The moment we leave them is where the three women at the center of this story seem to connect best, and that’s what’s worth holding onto, no matter where the world will send them next.