Illuminating Dreams: Payal Kapadia’s Intricate Portrait of Mumbai’s Women

The ways in which solitary men and the broader patriarchy persist in influencing the existence and autonomy of self-reliant modern women are pivotal themes that support the narrative of this film. Vividly situated in the present-day working-class neighborhoods of Mumbai and abundant with subtle moments that build emotional intensity, the captivating drama revolves around two flatmates, both working at a municipal hospital—compassionate yet rule-following head nurse Prabha and the youthful, romantic Anu—and their senior colleague, Parvaty, who serves as a cook.