News India Live, Digital Desk: Indian film director Payal Kapadia created history when her film ‘All We Imagine as Light’ got a place in the Main Competition section of the Cannes Film Festival and there it got an 8-minute long standing ovation. It was the first Indian film in 30 years to achieve this feat, but the wait is still not over for Indian audiences.1. Why is this film special? (The Plot)The film is the story of two Mumbai-based nurses, Prabha and Anu, who are searching for their identity amidst their busy lives and relationships. Achievement: It won the prestigious ‘Grand Prix’ award at Cannes, the second highest honor after the ‘Palm d’Or’.Reviews: International critics described it as “poetic” and a “beautiful portrayal of human emotions”.2. Reasons for not releasing in India (Challenges in India) Despite such a huge success, there are some problems regarding its release in India: Challenge Description Lack of distribution Such ‘art-house’ films do not get big distributors in India, because they give priority to commercial success (masala films). Censor Board (CBFC) Internationally acclaimed films sometimes have to face the scissors of the Indian Censor Board, Due to which directors do not want to compromise.Attitude of OTT platformsBig streaming platforms often buy only those films which have big Bollywood stars, due to which independent films get less space.3. Struggle of ‘Art Cinema’: This is not the first time this has happened with an Indian film. Even before ‘All We Imagine as Light’, many films have been in this list: ‘The Disciple’: After winning the award in Venice, it took a long time to be released. Films made on the lines of ‘Moonlight’: Which garner accolades on foreign soil, but remain confined to film festivals only in the home country. 4. Will the wait end in 2026? According to the latest reports, Payal Kapadia and her team are now in talks with some independent distributors and for limited theatrical release. It is expected that it will be seen in select cities of India by mid-2026 and later on premium OTT platforms. Changing preferences of the audience. Today’s Indian audience is liking films like ‘Kantara’ and ’12th Fail’, which are based on grassroots stories. In such a situation, the non-release of a film like ‘All We Imagine as Light’ is a big loss for Indian cinema lovers. Are our cinema halls only for blockbusters, or is there room for art too?