The Lunchbox (2013) User Reviews

Most sumptuous and delicious fare Bollywood has offered in ages.

[anish-7 · 8/10 · 21 September 2013]

"The Lunchbox" is the most honest love story to come out of Bollywood in ages. It is a delightful story of love blossoming slowly, one letter a day, between two most unlikely but equally despondent characters you could ever match make.

Debutant Director, Ritesh Batra, who is also done the script writing, has crafted an exquisite gem of a movie. Batra impresses because he does not set out to impress. He conveys eloquently the state of the mind of each character because he is economical with emotions and does not exaggerate. Batra makes a memorable movie with multiple layers because he is honest with himself and his craft. Ritesh Batra is simply magnificent.

The performances by the 3 leading actors, Irrfan Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Nimrat Kaur are disarmingly natural, poignant and memorable. Pitted against the two stalwarts (comparatively speaking), Khan and Siddiqui, newcomer Nimrat Kaur more than holds her own. I am at a loss of words to describe her performance. Her character is nuanced, neglected, grieving and most complex yet Kaur's is the most memorable performance in the movie. Her role would be talked about for a long time to come.

While ironically, the whole serendipity bit of the film kicks off with a delivery mistake made by Bombay's Dabbawalas, world famous for their Six Sigma (99.999666% ) accuracy, Batra's movie reassures that even if the odds of finding true love in life is Six Sigma stacked against you, it is worth waiting for and taking your chances.

"The Lunchbox" is the most sumptuous and appetizing fare Bollywood has offered in ages. Just go for it

Extraordinary Story of Ordinary Lives!

[ahirjoy · 9/10 · 21 September 2013]

The Lunchbox(Movie -2013) Review - The movie "The Last Samurai" ended with a quote something like "We all seek some small measure of peace, and few of us ever find". After many years "The Lunchbox", a movie from a completely different background and culture echoed the same thought to my ears, really it is never too late to start your life again. You can expect the movie will be a gem as you have the two best character-artists of this decade – Irrfan Khan and Nawazuddin Siddiqui playing the lead roles. However I didn't expect Nimrat Kaur will also give such an awesome performance as I never followed her before except "Cadbuy Dairy Milk-Silk adds", and I apologize for my ignorance sincerely! Nimrat was equally great. This movie can be an excellent demonstration of what extraordinary performance really means in any acting-learning institute of any part of the world, trust me on this!!!

The start of the story - A frustrated housewife prepares an excellent lunch for her husband with great care. But unfortunately (or fortunately!), it reaches to an equally lonely person on the verge of retirement - Saajan Fernandes (Irrfan Khan) whose wife died long back. This simple cross connection by Mumbai Dubbawalas in the age of digital era starts a beautiful and interesting romantic relationship however ending of which has been kept open-ended for our own imagination. At the same time we can see an excellent equation and emotional turmoil building up between Saajan /Irrfann, the serious and lonely parting boss and Shaikh/Nawazuddin, his future replacement, who is funny and enthusiastic and quiet opposite to his boss.In some cases Nawazuddin has overshadowed Irfann too! The direction was superb, specially the depiction of the supply chain of the Mumbai Dabbawalas through the city is just extraordinary.Hats-off Ritesh Batra for his unbelievable first time direction.

Disclaimer: This movie is 4.5/5 from me, 0.5 is deducted only for its little slow pace , otherwise it in an extraordinary story about very ordinary lives. To me, this movie deserves all the critical appreciations it has received both in India and Outside. Avoid only if you really hate slow paced realistic depiction about everyday common lives of Tom,Dick and Harry and expect only superheroes doing superhuman activities; otherwise this is a "MUST WATCH"!

Mixes food and romance in a very appealing combination

[howard.schumann · 9/10 · 1 October 2013]

An old saying repeated in Ritesh Batra's charming The Lunchbox is that sometimes the wrong train will bring you to the right station. In this case, however, the train turns out to be a dabba (lunchbox), wrongly delivered by a dabbawala to a middle-aged government claims adjuster on the brink of retirement. It works out well even though, in reality, with about 5,000 dabbawalas in the city of Mumbai who deliver more than 130,000 lunch boxes each day, they rarely make a mistake. Written by Stefan Tomke in the mode of You Got Mail, Ila (Nimrat Kaur), a young housewife dutifully prepares a lunch for her emotionally distant husband every day and has it sent to him via the courier.

On the advice of her upstairs Auntie, Mrs. Deshpande (Bharati Achreka), Ila tries to have her husband notice her by putting more spice in the food. When it is wrongly delivered to Saajan (Irrfan Khan, Life of Pi), however, a series of unintended consequences unfold. What begins with a short note from Sajaan to Ila that "the food was salty today" develops into a series of exchanges passed back and forth in the lunchbox everyday in which the two open up to each other about their lives, memories, and their hopes and dreams for the future. A subplot involving Aslam Shaikh (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), an aggressively upbeat successor to Sajaan, adds a touch of humor to the proceedings but also serves to draw a contrast between himself and the grumpy Saajan.

Both Aslam and Sajaan become more endearing, however, as the film progresses. While the ending may thwart expectations if you are used to having all the pieces neatly fit together, The Lunchbox mixes food and romance in a very appealing combination, removing any doubt that Ila and Sajaan have moved to a new level. Impeccably acted and beautifully realized, the film provides an honest appreciation of what it is like to live in Mumbai without exploiting its poverty for Western audiences. Though the wrong train may indeed bring you to the right station, ultimately there is no wrong train and no right station. As The Lunchbox demonstrates, there is just the train and the journey, and it's all perfect.

a movie to watch... must watch...

[senaruni · 9/10 · 20 September 2013]

Once Rabindranath Tagore says about 'short stories'...

"Simple events of life happy or sad,/ Some sad strings from the train of forgetfulness,/ Not fraught with heavy descriptions,/ Not crowded with events,/ No advice, no philosophy/ Only the feeling that the story is not yet over/ Although there is no more to read..."

'The Lunchbox' is a perfect example of a unique 'short story'. A little love story with some little events and pain... but at the end there is a new beginning.

The story is about a lonely old widower and a young neglected house wife. They connected through a lunch box and some letters, and share some emotional thought and experience of there daily life with each other. They are totally stranger to each other, but love has found out it's own way to enter.

There is a basic question about "Love"... 'Is it possible to fall in love between two strangers'? "The Lunchbox" defines it brilliantly... 'Love has no definition and it never follows any rules. So there is a possibility to fall in love with somebody whom we never meet. People loves to fall in 'Love' again and again, it may be someone we know or don't know or whom we already loved with'.

Irfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui are acted very well through out the movie. Direction of Ritesh Batra is just too much perfect. After interval, the movie is a little bit slow, may be it's a situational demand. Overall it's an wonderful experience.

Lastly, the best part of the movie is 'The Ending'. "Only the feeling that the story is not yet over, although there is no more to read". There is something unspoken in this movie. It depends viewers to viewers, where they actually like to go with "Sajan & Ila".

Strongly recommend to all cine goers... please watch it...

Delicious Love Story

[visheshvijay · 10/10 · 20 September 2013]

In an age when instant messaging, email, and various social media have made communication easier and quicker, debutant writer-director Ritesh Batra relies on scribbled notes tucked in tiffin boxes to deliver a charming, old-fashioned love story in The Lunchbox. There's a simple line in this sumptuous film that captures its essence beautifully: "Sometimes even the wrong train can take you to the right destination." It's a line that might help interpret the film's open ending, but one that also nicely sums up its unique premise.

I'm going with ten ratings for The Lunchbox. The greatest love stories are the ones that make you root for the protagonists to come together, despite their destinies. This film illustrates how love transforms the unlikeliest of people; it breaks down Saajan's walls and gives Ila the courage to fly. Treat yourself to The Lunchbox – it'll leave you with a craving to seek your own little happiness. Best film I've seen in a long time. Acting of Irfan 10/10 Film Rating - 10/10

I believe that this time LunchBox will surely make history in Oscars .

Quite touching and sad....

[planktonrules · 8/10 · 13 May 2014]

In Mumbai (formerly 'Bombay'), India, there is a very complex network of 5000 Dabbawallahs. Their job is to arrive at the homes of Indian workers to get homemade lunches from the wives and transport them all over the city so that the men can have hot, home-cooked meals every day. Then, after lunch, they collect all the empty lunch pails and deliver them to the wives. Despite this being a logistical nightmare, the meals get delivered to the right person all the time with very, very few mistakes—carried by hand and on bicycles and scooters by mostly illiterate men! With the movie Dabba, a mistake amazingly happens and a wife's meal arrives for a total stranger instead of her husband. At first, the man doesn't realize he's eating another man's lunch—he just thinks the restaurant that delivers his lunch box has suddenly improved! However, once the wife realizes her mistake, she sends the next meal along with a note explaining the mix-up—and soon the pair begin exchanging letters. At first, they are quite simple and formal. Later, they become much more complicated, as by now the wife has realized that her husband has been cheating—and this total stranger becomes her confidante. All during this long exchange of letters, the woman CONTINUES sending lunches to this stranger and they forge an odd friendship! There's far more to the film than this—see it yourself and you'll see what I mean.

Dabba is the sort of film Hollywood could never make. Part of it is, of course, because there is no comparable lunch system in the States. Part of it, too, is that the film does NOT have a perfect happy ending and it doesn't follow a typical formula. There is a lot of sadness and longing and the film leaves you with this, as it's not afraid to leave the audience slightly dissatisfied. Now I am NOT complaining—but Hollywood films seem to have an implicit understanding that everything must be resolved perfectly before a movie can end. Not so with Dabba. This might upset some viewers, but it shouldn't—it's still a very good movie. Plus, a 'Hollywoodized' ending would have been far less realistic. And, as far as realism goes, this Indian film is not typical of a Bollywood flick either. While it was directed and written by an Indian, Ritesh Batra, and stars Indian actors (Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur), it is also a French/German co-production. As such, it lacks the usual song and dance numbers you find in most Indian films and is only a little over an hour and a half (most Indian films are considerably longer—often twice as long or longer). Instead following convention, the film is all about realism. It makes for a nice change of pace even if the ending will be vaguely unsatisfying to many viewers. Worth seeing as long as you don't demand formula. And, worth seeing as long as you don't mind reading subtitles. A film that is truly unique and the acting is really lovely.

Tightrope walk between heartwarming and heartbreaking

[Horst_In_Translation · 10/10 · 16 December 2013]

"The Lunchbox" is one of these films that are so great that it's almost impossible to put into words why they are that good. You just have to experience them. I'll give it a try though. The film centers around a lonely widower who, thanks to coincidence, has two strangers enter and enrich his life that may or may not have an impact on him in the future. The factor of coincidence is a very crucial one here as these happenings depict perfectly how one random thing happening can change your life forever. Often you can't even force it, you just have to hope for it to happen. The lunchbox simply could have gotten addressed correctly or the new employee could have tried his luck at another company and nothing from the action we were so lucky to see would have happened.

But back to the film: It's Ritesh Batra's first directorial effort for a full feature after a few short films, which makes the final result even more impressive. I was shocked to hear that India decided to submit another movie as the entry to the Foreign Language category at next year's Academy Awards. I haven't seen that one (yet) though, so no further elaboration on it, except I'd be quite surprised if I end up liking their choice as much as "The Lunchbox". Indian cinema is one of not too many areas that I'm not too familiar with. I've seen "Slumdog Millionaire" of course and "Gandhi", but that's pretty much all I can say. Anyway, if the level of "The Lunchbox" is the one several Indian films deliver these days, I can't wait to get more into the matter. I especially liked Irrfan Khan (with "Life of Pi" and Slumdog Millionaire" recently under his belt probably the biggest star from his country right now internationally) as a lonesome widower who did so much with so little and should easily be a contender for Best Actor of the Year at the next Oscars, but obviously he won't be. In Khan's shadow, Nimrat Kaur, who's surprisingly new to the film industry, and Nawazuddin Siddiqui as a likable pain in the neck shine as well.

The other great strength of the movie besides its lead actor is the writing. The film is packed from start to finish with dialog that so fits the tone and situation and a large number of symbolisms that will impossibly leave you cold. At least that's what I can tell for me and most of the audience sitting in my viewing. You don't have to have lost your wife as well to feel the lead character's bitterness and despair early on in the film, to feel his loneliness in one of the most populated cities on Earth. But the film is far from being emotional torture porn. It's sometimes genuinely funny, namely in those parts where both lead characters communicate with their most important person (the colleague, the upstairs neighbor) and even if these obviously have a great deal of problems as well, including loneliness or taking care of a very sick partner for 15 years, these interactions result in very entertaining situations. The scene with the chili in the basket was hilarious and brought some great comic relief that moment.

And that was only one of many smart scenes that perfectly display the characters' emotions or state of minds. You can also mention the children in the yard and how they interact with Khan's character, the ventilator metaphor (with the people below them and their similarities, coma patient and office worker) which may very well be the greatest symbolism I've seen in theaters all year. Another great scene is the moment in which his new colleague invite Khan's character and he rejects the invitation for the same evening as he's so deep down in his shell he needs preparation time for such a seemingly normal event. Very authentic display and that is exactly the way it is. Then there's the scene where he asks him to be his best man, scenes in which he watches the old shows his wife loved or a scene in which he makes a joke and you can see the impact of loneliness on his ability to make jokes or the empty lunchbox after the unsuccessful meeting, the aging without realizing... And there's many more scenes I didn't mention that made the movie the most wonderful experience for me. "The Lunchbox" is one of the saddest films of the year and, at the same time, one of the best, probably my number 2 of 2013 at this point.

I'm not sure if there's a movie where I would say that if you liked this, you'll have a great time watching "The Lunchbox" as well. The closest I can think of is "Lost in Translation", which has some parallels, even if, compared to the Coppola movie, all the interaction here happens merely in written form. The ending is pretty good too. It was not entirely happy the way I hoped it would be, no big emotional bang like for "Lost in Translation", but still it was in a way uplifting and maybe more realistic and puts a smile on your lips. And you can speculate nicely how things will go from there.

So to sum it all up, I really really loved "The Lunchbox". I was always curious about the next note the two would exchange and it probably could have run for at least another hour to meet the extreme length of many Indian films these days and I wouldn't have been bored a bit. It doesn't have spectacular music or dancing as you may know it from a few Indian films these days, but it does have many sequences with very tasty food. Is there something I criticize about this film? Actually there is: the fact that I missed watching it at the premiere with the cast and director around. Ten of ten.

addition 4th May 2020: Rest in peace, Irrfan Khan :-(

The Lunchbox

[Prismark10 · 7/10 · 3 June 2020]

The Lunchbox is gentle relationship movie between an elderly accountant on the verge of retirement and a housewife who marriage is deteriorating because of her husband's affair.

Saajan Fernandes (Irrfan Khan) and Ila (Nimrat Kaur) get to know each other over a mix up of tiffin boxes. She has cooked for her husband which is delivered by the Mumbai dabbawalas.

They tend to have almost a 100% accuracy but Saajan receives Ila's food and enjoys the meal. It leads to an exchange of messages between the two as they talk about their lives.

Saajan a withdrawn widower starts to look forward not only to the meals but the messages. It brings colour to his life which is noticed by Shaikh who is meant to take over his job.

For Ila whose father is dying of cancer. She considers whether to develop her relationship with Saajan and arranges to meet up with him.

Director Ritesh Batra has delivered a gentle charming non Bollywood film. It is about characters in various stages of life who see a hint of finding happiness gain.

It reminded somewhat of the film 84 Charing Cross Road that featured Anthony Hopkins and Anne Bancroft corresponding to each other over the years.

I did think Irrfan Khan was rather young to be playing Saajan. He was only in his mid 40s when this film was made, which meant that any romance between Saajan and Ila would had been more believable.

Subtle, simple and refreshingly fresh

[ravi-cramchandani · 8/10 · 20 September 2013]

The first glimpse of the movie , promises you that it is't a 'just another regular bollywood movie', its refreshingly Fresh and New.

The beauty of the entire film lies in the subtlety, whether be it the story, the the actors, characters their mannerisms(when their lips quiver on getting excited, their long and deep searching eyes, the half smiles on the edges, when Ila first time presumes her husband to have an extra-marital affair). Again all of these things are very much there without they saying it explicitly so.

Very rarely you come across a movie that moves at a comfortable pace, not trying to either rush or stagnate itself at any point. The TG for this movie is definitely not people across all age groups as the producers claim, but it's specially for those who are happy or contented without searching for that something extra in their everyday lives. It doesn't talk about any extra ordinary accomplishments of individuals, nor does it talk about destiny, life or happiness. It just talks about very simple human behavior, when it comes to falling in love.

The end may or may not disappoint you...its very subjective(personally I was a lil), but yea you can tailor your apt end based on whether you are a optimist or a pessimist.

That Human Touch

[tieman64 · 11 January 2015]

"Man's feeling of alienation has been intensified in the midst of a bureaucratised, impersonal mass society. He is now trebly alienated: a stranger to God, to nature, and to the gigantic social apparatus that supplies his material wants. In a society that requires of man only that he perform competently his own particular social function, man becomes identified with this function, and the rest of his being is allowed to subsist as best it can - usually to be dropped below the surface of consciousness and forgotten." - William Barrett

Ritesh Batra writes and directs "The Lunchbox". The film stars Irrfan Khan as Saajan Fernandes, a lonely accountant who works in urban India. Saajan receives a daily meal prepared by the "dabbawalas", a network of men and women who transport home-cooked meals to city workers. Saajan's meals are prepared by Ila (Nimrat Kaur), a young woman trapped in a loveless marriage.

On its most superficial level, "The Lunchbox" works well as a romantic crowd-pleaser. Saajan and Ila, who never physically meet, use their lunch-boxes to ferry secretly written letters between themselves. As both Saajan and Ila are lonely, depressed and locked in thankless routines, each unfurled letter brings with it excitement, entertainment and the promise of romance. Along the lines of a romantic drama, Batra's film is engrossing, subtle and largely devoid of clichés.

On another level, "The Lunchbox" works as a kind of anthropological study of urban India. This is a world in which every character is trapped in their own private lunch-boxes, the film's homes, streets, trains, buses and offices all tightly packed and colourfully impersonal. Ila and Saajan's jobs are themselves alienating, their customers invisible and the fruits of their daily toils seemingly evaporating before their eyes. To the duo, something as concrete as human touch seems distant and alien.

Whilst Batra captures well the beauty of India, its places, communities, cuisines and people, he also taps into something darker. The last vestiges of traditional gender roles remain, men and women wrestle with existential questions, and urban life is portrayed as something sad and vaguely oppressive, hints of suicide, malaise and poverty fluttering faintly along the film's outer margins. Unsurprisingly, our heroes dream of the kingdom of Bhutan, where Gross National Happiness indices hold precedence (allegedly) over Gross Domestic Product.

8.5/10 – See "Syndromes and a Century" and "The Giant Mechanical Man".

sweet simple delicious!!

[vihardesai41 · 7/10 · 22 September 2013]

After watching this type of movie it is difficult not to write about this movie. After leaving the cinema hall only two words strike in my heart and mind WOW & HOW!! WOW factor for the superb concept,screenplay,characters,performance & especially some sweet moment which bring sweet smile on your face!! which make lunch box more delicious

HOW factor for how they can make such an unexpected end rest of the part is so outstanding,which make you more curious to know what next but there is nothing to watch next for the viewers!! viewers think its climax starting but that is actually end of the movie(endless)!! which make lunch box bit of salty!! but fully enjoy rest of parts and scenes and outstanding acting by all the characters

LAST WORDS: it is one of the best lunch box i ever eat(sorry mom) but at end because of this food,i suffered with some stomach problem!! but at whole enjoy the flavor!! Brain says 'NO' Heart says 'GO'..!!

Great story line, effortless performances, definitely worth a watch!

[bionmba · 8/10 · 20 September 2013]

To be able to write an involving story on something considered impossible is the hallmark of a good writer. 'The Lunchbox' is based on such a story surrounding the dabbawalas of Mumbai.

One mistake that brews a terrific relationship between two strangers, so delicately portrayed through the exchange of letters. There are only three actors in this film and each has delivered a stellar performance. None of them have many dialogues, but their expressions and motions depict their character in such an excellent manner, you wished there were even fewer lines! Irrfan proves with every new film that he in fact is the best 'Khan' of Bollywood and Nawazuddin can just not disappoint. He's used his GoW success to break into films such as this one and done justice to each role. Nimrat Kaur's simplicity throughout the film looks so effortless and yet so unbelievable for the Bollywood of today, which is ever so increasingly synonymous of excessive glamour and fashion.

Cinematography is average, but again, this isn't a 'visual' movie, it's more of a story. Direction looks great as Ritesh has been able to get the best out of his cast. Well, you'd have to try real hard to have Irrfan and Nawaz amidst your cast and yet churn a flop, but the director does deserve some credit.

In my opinion, this is the second best film of the year after Madras Cafe. I haven't seen Bhaag Milkha Bhaag though, so that might change things for me. Either way, this is in no way a bore or a drag as the film keeps you hooked onto the amazing story line and individual performances.

Enjoy!

Rarely an Indian film without its trademark dancing-and-singing routines

[lasttimeisaw · 7/10 · 15 August 2015]

Rarely an Indian film without its trademark dancing-and-singing routines, director/writer Ritesh Batra's feature debut marvellously utilises the exotic "dabbawalas" system of Mumbai, which is an intricate lunch delivery service to people at work from their their homes or restaurants and is remarkable for its accuracy, but Batra fictionalises a little mix- up of the system and links two strangers into an epistolary communication, and from there, their penfriend-ship will further sublimate into something more genuine and profound.

Saajan Fernandes (Khan) is a middled-aged widower on the brink of early retirement as a senior accountant, he is withdrawn, cynical and tries to dodge the responsibility to train his new replacement Sheikh (Siddiqui). One day his colourless life is revitalised by a mis- delivered lunch-box which he vastly enjoys. The lunch-box is made by Ila (Kaur), a housewife who attempts to win the her husband's heart through her cuisine. When Ila realises the delivery blunder, instead of righting the mistake, she starts to leave a note to this stranger in the lunch-box and Saajan writes back too, steadily, they exchange their own stories and life philosophy, which becomes the enzyme of a blossoming romance since both find a conduit and a confidant to change their disappointing status quo.

Like YOU'VE GOT MAIL (1998, 7/10), THE SHOP AROUND THE CORNER (1940), the two protagonists are destined to meet sine they are not like Helene Hanff and Frank P. Doel in 84 CHARING CROSS ROAD (1987) who are divided by the Atlantic ocean and deferred by a difficult economy situation. It is quite easy for them to meet when all the romantic buildup reaches its threshold, Ila finds out her husband is cheating on her whereas Saajan gets close with the orphan Sheikh, takes him as his protégé, and is ready to turn a new chapter of his life. But Batra refuses to hold out such an easy pass for their significant first meeting, for the sake of narrative twist, he wields the "sudden" epiphany of age difference as the obstacle to morally righteously curb the passion from Saajan's side. And from then on, the film descends into a limbo of indecision, through Saajan's capricious determinations, it actually reflects Batra's insecurity of how to consummate the story in an unconventional way, as his first feature, his endeavour fails to achieve that goal with the over-contrived open ending.

Performances are uniformly pleasant to watch, Khan's goggled eyes alone can patently exhume his deepest inner feelings to an affecting effect. Kaur, also downplays the default setting of an under-appreciated wife and evinces her steely resolution of a woman doesn't yield to an unhealthy marriage. Siddiqui's Sheikh. comes around often as comic relief with an inherent optimistic spirit, registers a well-developed balance of humour and earnestness.

The film's retro flair in rediscovering the magic power of authentic writings is naturalistic-ally endearing to endorse, and "sometimes the wrong train takes you to the right station", is the motto conspicuously referred three times along the whole movie, THE LUNCHBOX is a rarity among the usual Bollywood products, its message can reach unanimously to every soul who is inspired to find its rightful purpose, and its art-house appeal can lure those who are disinterested in Indian cinema (like myself) into its poetic embodiment of an unusual encounter.

Charming but dour Indian take on anonymous correspondents a la 'Shop around the Corner'

[Turfseer · 5/10 · 5 October 2014]

Saajan Fernandes is a civil service accountant in Mumbai, India, with one month to go on his job before he retires. He subscribes to the "dabbawalas" system, where he has his food delivered to his desk from outside of work. Saajan's food comes from a restaurant but due to a mix-up, he receives lunches prepared by another man's wife, Ila. When Ila receives the lunch containers back, they're licked clean and she assumes her husband liked what she made for him. After speaking with her husband, it becomes apparent that he never received the food she had prepared. She decides to keep preparing meals for the stranger, who seems to be enjoying them.

The next note from Saajan suggests that that food is a tad bit salty. Not insulted, Ila decides to adapt her concoctions to his specifications, and seeks culinary advice from her neighbor one flight above, by shouting to her through an open window (we never see the neighbor, Auntie, who apparently is an older confidante).

'The Lunchbox' takes its cue from the old 1940 Lubitsch classic, 'The Shop around the Corner', where two anonymous correspondents form a relationship. The relationship between Saajan and Ila is at the heart of the narrative but it plays out strictly through the off screen narration of the principals.

The dramatic tension arises over whether Saajan can free himself of his depression, as he is a widower, who was devastated by the death of his wife. Ila also faces a crisis when she discovers that her husband has been cheating on her and must decide whether she wants to leave him.

A sub-plot involving Shaikh, the 'orphan' scheduled to take over Saajan's job is perhaps the most charming aspect of the film. At first, Saajan virtually ignores Shaikh and keeps postponing training sessions for the newly hired employee. Shaikh ends up having to forge ahead on his own and incurs the wrath of the boss when it's obvious he has no clue how to do the job. The boss fires Shaikh but Saajan takes the blame and saves his job. Eventually the two become friends, and the friendless Shaikh asks Saajan to be the best man at his wedding.

'The Lunchbox' denouement is designed to be bittersweet but hopeful. Saajan and Ila finally agree to meet; but when Saajan gets cold feet when he shows up at the restaurant where Ila has been waiting for him, she decides not to send him anymore meals. After Ila's father dies, she looks for Saajan but he has already decided to move to another city. Then she decides to move to outside the country to Bhutan, and leave her husband. Saajan changes his mind about moving and on a hopeful note, decides to look for Ila.

Ultimately, the burgeoning romance between Saajan and Ila is not enough for us to completely fall in love with this narrative. One big problem is Saajan's personality. He's such a one note dour character that it's hard to like him for most of the film. Yes I understand he finally comes out of his shell but is this depressing guy really someone you're willing to go along with for the ride for so long? Similarly, Ila is also a bit of a one note, downbeat character too. Her crumbling marriage seems a little too pat and the relationship between her and her husband, seems woefully underdeveloped.

In reality, I hardly think Saajan and Ila are a good couple. Perhaps Saajan's instinct that she was too young for him was a good one. Nonetheless, he's off (in Hollywood fashion) to seek out the newly separated Ila, and win her heart for good.

As a first time director, Ritesh Batra is to be commended. He has a flair for directing his actors and getting most out of his cinematographers. Special mention should go to the composer of some very nice, highly atmospheric music. 'The Lunchbox' was the subject of great controversy in India after the Film Federation of India failed to nominate it for the Academy Awards. Some members felt the premise was flawed since the Dubbawalas could never make such a mistake as delivering the wrong lunch. I would have denied it on the grounds that the simplicity of the screenplay, with its dour principals and sentimental ending, would have precluded it from earning an Oscar nomination.

Lonely people connect over misdelivered meals

[maurice_yacowar · 9/10 · 13 May 2014]

From different contexts two characters cite the same adage: "Sometimes the wrong train gets you to the right station." The duplication confirms the implication of the saying: A larger harmony may overlay the apparent chaos and insularity of our lives.

The food delivery error finds the right recipient: not the neglectful, unfaithful husband Rajeev (for whom it's intended) but the genuinely appreciative and needy widower Saajan. In the days of cellphones and email the two strangers' connection by paper notes smuggled in the food-tins speaks of older traditions and values. Even if all the paper files and manual accounting in Saajan's claims department are curiously archaic.

Since losing his wife Saajan is tight, silent, unexpressive. His colleagues warn his trainee Shaikh that he won't get anything out of Saajan. He's removed from his colleagues and alienated from his neighbors. Ila is almost equally isolated, despite being married, with a delightful daughter and a cheery adviser in the upstairs "Auntie." Ila can't get any affection or notice from Rajeev and finds another's perfume on his shirts. Because we don't see Auntie she doesn't register as an actual relief from Ila's isolation. So the stranger's notes appreciating her cooking and sharing his observations and feelings — and attending to hers — are enough to excite Ila, even to give her hope that she may find an alternative more fulfilling relationship. At both ends of the meal's transmission the two fantasize a relationship. This meal provides multiple nourishment. It's enough to prompt Saajan to forgo early retirement and Ila to leave her husband.

A key motif is the faint register of an individual in a mass. This is most clear in the montage that follows Ila's food-cans through the daily delivery, one bundle barely discerned amid the mass. Her fertile green case stands out in the drab crowd. So, too, the noisy teeming crowd — in First-Class, yet — on Saajan's commute to/from work. In the last photo at Sheikh's wedding his sole representative Saajan is almost framed out as the camera shifts to include the bride's extending family.

But the film stays open-ended. If we prefer the pre-couple's romantic hopes we can infer that Saajan, back from his retirement spot and traveling with the food-deliverers, will get to Ila before her daughter returns from school and the three will depart together.

But if our experience rather tends toward the tragic expectation, they won't meet. Her alienation deepened by her mother's relief at her lately disgusting husband's death, and by learning Saajan has moved away, Ila may well commit suicide. The shot of her removing her jewellery replays her visualization of the news story of the mother who jumped with her child to death. As Ila thinks the letter she may or may not send Saajan (p.s., How?) her morbid emotions might drive her off before her daughter returns from school. Hence her wistful look as the girl left. This ending would recall the near-misses that fatally thwart the romance of Romeo and Juliet.

The comic subplot of Shaikh and his beloved, who ran away from home to be with him, could support either reading. These lovers' perseverance ends in family acceptance and success. So it could parallel the romantic union of Ila and Saaja. Equally, though, it could be cited as a dramatic counterpoint to the older lovers' tragedy.

If we're not given one certain ending the director is suggesting that the ending doesn't matter. Whether or not the lovers meet and settle in together, both have grown from the experience. Warmed by the idea of having a girlfriend, Saajan has opened out to Shaikh and to his neighbours' children. He is already living a happier life, his emotions reawakened. And whether or not Saajan gets to her in time, Ila has worked up the courage to escape her stifling marriage. Whether it's romance or death, the wrong train could still find the right station — if only by leaving the wrong one. For more see www.yacowar.blogspot.com.

Must enjoy the spicy curry in the LUNCHBOX

[sonalijagwani · 8/10 · 21 September 2013]

Must watch with a full stomach, else you'll have a watering mouth every five minutes while watching the plot. India is a country where we give utmost importance to food & family. This story, packed in a Lunchbox, comes to your table & gives you a flavor of Indian ethnicity & the emotions we go through in everyday life !

The overcrowded local trains, Harvard certified Mumbai Dabbawalas, Amidst busy working hours, an irritating yet likable junior And the best friend "Aunty" to a direction less housewife

All this should be enough to drag you to the cinema house & enjoy the spicy curry in the LUNCHBOX.

U have to see it to believe it that such a product has been dished out of Bollywood

[karun_kumar · 10/10 · 22 September 2013]

THE LUNCHBOX- A poignant and heart warming tale that seems like a whiff of fresh air amidst all the hullabaloo the audiences have been exposed to in recent memory. It has depicted the pathos of 2 principal characters with panache n each n every single frame of the film seems to have been meticulously dealt with. One dialogue still lingers in your mind long after the film has finished "Sometimes the wrong train takes u to the right destination". It's so so good to see good ol' letters being exchanged in an era of e-mail, Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp n mobile phones. Somewhere it touches the very core n essence of that golden era which I had never been born in but now surely have the experience to cherish it via such gems which come once in a long, long while. The best part is that all melodrama has been avoided except for the cameo by Lilette Dubey. All the emotions have been expressed in a very subtle manner in contrast to over-the-top melodrama which has been the staple diet of Bollywood films n how they play with our emotions by being tearjerkers. This film pricks your conscience n compels u to think. It makes u root for the protagonists even as they march onto their respective destinies. It makes u realize there's a silver lining of hope that really makes u fly. I really wish if it could be India's official entry to the Oscars for 2013.

How to Make a Great Movie with Low-Budget

[claudio_carvalho · 8/10 · 14 June 2015]

In Mumbai, the lonely widower Saajan Fernandes (Irrfan Khan) is the responsible for the account department of a company and is near retirement. He is assigned to train his replacement Shaikh (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), who is a needy orphan. One day, Fernandes mistakenly receives the lunchbox prepared by the housewife Ila (Nimrat Kaur) to her estranged husband Rajeev (Nakul Vaid) and Fernandes believes that the restaurant where he buys his food improved the meal. On the next day, he receives a note from Ila inside the lunchbox and they begin to correspond to each other. Ila suspects that her husband is having a love affair and everyday Fernandes and Ila become anxious to read the note from the other. One day, Ila invites Fernandes to meet her in a restaurant. What will be their reactions in the encounter?

"The Lunchbox" is a lesson of how to make a great movie with low-budget. The story is very simple, but the screenplay holds the attention of the viewer to the last scene. The direction and the performances are top- notch. There are very few locations and scenarios. The open end is excellent, giving the chance to the viewer to guess what might be the fate of Ila and Fernandes. I believe they will travel together with her daughter to Bhutan. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "The Lunchbox"

A lunch-box which holds surprises galore !!!

[muktadeer · 22 September 2013]

A complete experience, worth every penny spent, no song and dance routines, no action scenes, no loud jokes, and still this one is exquisite ........... for the simple reason that it is story telling at its best , most of the times, there were no dialogs , but the message was conveyed every time.

With the fine ensemble of actors, the performances need not be spoken about , Irfan , Nimrat and Nawazuddin were so real and so very much like people around us and not to forget the aunty upstairs (not showing her was a masterstroke) .........

Bravo to the entire team for daring to make a movie so unconventional and yet so amazing !!! Hats Off !!!

OK, but was left feeling cheated

[pauly_c · 7/10 · 22 September 2019]

This fairly slow paced movie is worth a watch, but has no proper conclusion, which was a real let down.

An intimate and wholesome meal which leaves you craving for a second helping...

[sourish-halder · 10/10 · 20 September 2013]

Imagine a intimate multi course meal... The premise of the taste provided by a subtle soup... The appetite increases with a delicious appetizer ... The bitter sweetness of a Karela Ki Sabji ... The softness and comfort of Paneer Kofta... The whiff of romance like a fragrant Mutton Biriyani ... The subtlety yet spiciness of a Keema Pav ... The wholeness and simplicity of Daal Chawal ... The added tang of a pickle ... The sweetness of a Rabdi and the twist of a Paan ...

The flavor of The Lunchbox lingers on your taste buds long after the ending credits roll ... making you long for a second helping and another helping and another ... The performances , the beautiful yet simple story of a love that begins with a small humanly mistake of probably the most efficient set of people in India and not to forget the brilliant ending which basically forces the viewer to make his/her assumption make The Lunchbox an excellent meal. A meal which is made and served with love that not only lingers in your taste buds but in your mind for days to come.

Irrfan Khan and Nawazuddin Siddqui in the film are like the wonderful south Indian breakfast combination of Idli-Vada ... you cannot imagine this combination without any one of the components. A beautiful and haunting turn by Nimrat Kaur. Its as if every meal she cooks or every dish she prepares... its her life in the dishes. Credit goes to Ritesh Batra for having a masterstroke in the form of the ever helping Aunty ... you got to watch the movie to find it out.

For once chuck the spicy fare or the continental gourmet creations ... go for this homemade meal ... Bhindi and Paneer Kofta never tasted this good.

A beautifully made film let down by unrealistic relationships.

[jdowlicious · 6/10 · 16 August 2014]

'Dabba', or it's English title 'The Lunchbox', is the debut feature film of Ritesh Batra. Following the lives of Saajan (Irrfan Khan, Life of Pi), an office worker on the brink of retirement, and Ila (Nimrat Kaur, Luv Shuv Tey Chicken Khurana), a housewife trying to rekindle the romance between her passionless husband. Upon making him a special lunch, her meal is sent to Saajan instead, where an unlikely friendship blossoms.

Batra has done a wonderful job at capturing the lifestyle of modern Indian culture - claustrophobic trains, busy streets and rustic buildings are among the many backdrops this movie has to offer. Colourful without being overwhelming, DOP Michael Simmons has crafted a very beautiful film. Batra has also pulled out some exceptional, low-key performances from Khan and Kaur. The movie is paced pretty well, though the 100 minutes did feel like a bit over 2 hours.

Now, the main issue with the film - this movie is billed as a romance, the tag-line is "Can you fall in love with someone you have never met?" and at no stage did I feel the romance between the two leads were believable at all. The two exchanging notes through titular lunchbox, and are talking about everyday, mundane activities for most of the film, so when the romantic aspect was introduced, I was very surprised. The actual premise of the film is not original at all, (which isn't necessarily a bad thing), however, in this case I felt that the way the plot was introduced and progressed felt really contrived. The film is very much a character study, but Khan definitely gets way more focus than need be in the film, leaving Kaur's character of the lonely lover rather one-note and two-dimensional. The child actors are also rather wooden, but they aren't on screen for a large amount of time, so the movie isn't too grating to watch when they're around. The ending, while bittersweet, is rather unsatisfying, leading the audience to think that Batra himself wasn't sure how to end the picture.

Overall, it's still an enjoyable, well-made flick, but a rather overrated one at that. 6/10.

A surprisingly brilliant experience

[kaul-tushar · 9/10 · 21 September 2013]

When you go into a movie, one of whose somewhat reliable review claimed it to be the best movie to have come out of India in the last 10 years, you are bound to have certain expectations and in retrospect a mind ready for a brutal disappointment at the end and yet there comes a time when something does not just live up to the expectations, but far exceeds them in almost every way. Lunchbox works at so many levels that it might get unpleasant at times for a casual viewer due to the roller-coaster screenplay where a seemingly comical exchange of dialogues suddenly takes a drop-dead serious turn and you have still not stopped laughing. But all throughout the movie everything appearing comical is in a way dark humor surrounding the landscape of the plot.

The movie explores loneliness in a way radically different from what we are used to in Indian cinema. I was so much reminded of Wong Kar Wai's In Mood for Love throughout the movie. Although the movie doesn't work on the same plot, but the essence has a lot in common. A lonely retiree who has reached the brink of his active adult life with no one to count on in his fading days and a young housewife caught in the bustle of fast life in the 21st century where an early child seems to have created a huge void in the household. The movie sets off with a very gloomy undertone in the rain drenched by-lanes of Mumbai. Ritesh Batra brings out the melancholy and solitude in the life of these two people through the Mumbai dabbawalla network and it's so natural and so simplistic that it works out very well.

He has not built the movie into a conventional love story, but like I said, it reminded me so much of 'In the Mood for Love'. And the screenplay and narrative leaves a lot at the viewer's prerogative. The relationship between Irfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur is somewhat like what Bill Murray and Scarlet Johansson had in 'Lost in Translation'. There are so many open ended threads in the story and there is no attempt made at justifying or unnecessarily elaborating them. It redifines love in a way we don't see in Hindi cinema usually and then lets the viewers take their own pick how they want to leave with the story.The editing is very crisp and very tight. Honestly, the movie as a whole was a huge surprise and the experience just gets better.

The performances makeup and locations are perfectly suited for the story. The movie brings out Mumbai on the screen in a way that perfectly suits it. Apparently heirless Irfan Khan's huge lonely house in high bustle of Bandra, or the young couple's small budget flat where although you can shout out and talk to the neighbour above, yet strange loneliness thrives and drives a housewife to discuss her family problems with a complete stranger though lunch boxes. The longing for good old past on part of both loners is very well showcased. The movie works very well. Performance wise Irfan Khan is brilliant like always. An exceptional follow-up to Pan Singh Tomar. He plays out a 60 year old so well, that Naseeruddin Shan might've already called up his agent to drop a couple hundred thousands off his asking price. Nimrat Kaur does full justice to her role as the lonely housewife. Nawazzundin Sidiqui plays out a role different from what we have now got used to off late. But it's the story and the way that it has been executed that makes it all the more brilliant.

It's good to know that there are people like Ritesh Batra who are doing some remarkable work in the otherwise mediocre Hindi cinema of today. What was even more surprising was to find Karan Johar as one of the producers. This one act of his has suddenly improved his stature in my books. It was disappointing to know that this movie was turned down in favor of 'The Good Road' as official Indian entry for Oscars. Definitely a stupid decision, as I do not see any reason why Lunchbox wouldn't have gone one to win the award.

A must watch for anyone who has given up on Hindi cinema.

If you like endings that end when they should still be going

[eyeintrees · 6/10 · 15 November 2014]

Hmmm, what to say... I was enjoying the movie and then, just a bit too abruptly, the last half hour didn't fit... it just didn't do anything... it went flatter than a pappadum.

The movie has its rhythm, people are doing predictable things that people in real life or movies do, and then the acting, the script and the nuance shifted so that the viewer was left with no idea what changed, leading up to an ending which I thoroughly hated.

Almost two hours of watching these people's lives so we kind of, sort of, maybe, get a hint of perhaps there's going to be a... something.

Pffft... hey, I get that real life is potatoes or portatos or tomatoes or tomartoes but I think the ending really did not deduce very much at all... I presume we are supposed to think that the lunch system never fails and so, sitting in his delivery van, all the wonderful things will occur... silly movie really, in hindsight. Did not live up to the great reviews everywhere.

A bit too precious, a bit too art house, a bit too cute. 6 out of 10 because I liked the actors very much.

Highly overrated

[monikakoul30 · 5/10 · 1 October 2013]

Could have been better if not dragged unnecessarily...becomes very repetitive and predictable after first 20 min with Mr Siddiqui dropping in every other second and interrupting Irffan khan... All the actors have done a decent job though n Nimrat kaur is definitely the one to look out for.. so one extra star for the actors. For me the climax of the movie really dint work at all... n before i knew the credits were rolling already...m not saying that its a bad movie but its not an Oscar entry either.. personally m a huge Irffan Khan fan so i would suggest that don't go with very high expectations ...it might not live up to the hype being created.