The Lunchbox (2013)

A mistaken delivery in Mumbai's famously efficient lunchbox delivery system connects a young housewife to an older man in the dusk of his life as they build a fantasy world together through notes in the lunchbox.

Director:

Ritesh Batra

Writers:

Ritesh Batra (screenplay), Vasan Bala (hindi dialogue consultant)

Stars:

Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Nawazuddin Siddiqui

Top Rated Indian Movies #112 | Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 29 wins & 35 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Irrfan Khan	...	Saajan Fernandes
Nimrat Kaur	...	Ila
Nawazuddin Siddiqui	...	Shaikh
Lillete Dubey	...	Ila's Mother
Nakul Vaid	...	Rajeev
Bharti Achrekar	...	Auntie
Yashvi Puneet Nagar	...	Yashvi
Denzil Smith	...	Mr. Shroff
Shruti Bapna	...	Mehrunnisa
Nasir Khan	...	Ila's Father
Lokesh Raj	...	Duke's Owner
Sadashiv Kondaji Pokarkar	...	Dabbawallah at Ila's House
Aarti Rathod	...	Saajan's Neighbor
Krishna Bai	...	Toothless Woman
Raj Rishi More	...	Ila's Brother

Storyline

The film, set in Mumbai, revolves around a mistaken delivery by the Dabbawalas (lunchbox service) of Mumbai, which leads to a relationship between Saajan, a lonely widower close to retirement, and Ila, an unhappy housewife, as they start exchanging notes through the daily lunchbox.

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Plot Keywords:

lunchbox | unconventional romance | open ended | delivery to wrong address | delivery | 

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Taglines:

Exceptional... A Rare Gem!

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG for thematic material and smoking

Details

Official Sites:

Cine Mosaic Official Site

Country:

India France Germany USA Canada

Language:

Hindi English

Release Date:

20 September 2013 (India)

Also Known As:

The Lunchbox

Filming Locations:

Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Box Office

Budget:

$1,000,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$44,542, 28 February 2014, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$4,231,500, 12 September 2014

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sikhya Entertainment, DAR Motion Pictures, National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

104 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In order to bring authenticity to the role and for knowing each other well enough to share the love and resentment among the couple as per the story in the film, Nimrat Kaur (Ila) and her onscreen husband Nakul Vaid (Rajeev) stayed at the same house as shown in the movie for weeks and spent days extensively rehearsing their part and adjusting to it prior to the other cast members even getting finalized.

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Goofs

When Saajan received the lunch box for the first time there were four compartments in it. He opens only three compartments of the lunch box, but when the camera changes it can be seen the whole lunch box is open.

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Quotes

Ila: Somwhere I read that the wrong train can lead you to the right station...

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Connections

Featured in Bollywood and Beyond: A Century of Indian Cinema (2015)

User Reviews

Must enjoy the spicy curry in the LUNCHBOX

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.