Split screen: Deepanjana Pal writes on the reality of indie films

‘It was thrilling to be able to watch All We Imagine as Light in theatres. What a change, I thought,’ Pal says. ‘Then I ran the numbers. We've a long way to go’

Two weeks before the release of Pushpa 2: The Rule, the small indie production All We Imagine as Light began its theatrical run in India.

The former is director Sukumar’s mainstream money-spinner, the much-anticipated sequel to the highest-grossing film of 2021, Pushpa: The Rise. Long before it hit theatres, Pushpa 2 had made records. It was released across more than 6,500 screens in the country (more than half the total number.)

All We Imagine as Light (AWIAL), on the other