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The Lunchbox Movie Review

The Lunchbox is a 2013 Indian romance film directed by Ritesh Batra and starring Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. It’s one of the best films of all time.

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“I think we forget things

if there is nobody to tell them“

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An unlikely mistake by a tiffin carrier service results in Ila’s tiffin, that was made for her husband, being delivered to Saajan Fernandes. An unusual friendship soon develops between the two. Although it may sound standard in that premise, the execution is anything but. The third act in particular ends in the most perfect manner possible – realistic, but also hopeful.

I rarely care for romance movies myself. And seeing one this perfect was thus a revelation. I was enthralled by the power of all of its scenes and especially small moments. The film is actually immensely sophisticated as it explores among other things aging, unhappy marriages, roles of wives and husbands, and reignited passion and hope.

Being epistolary in nature, it was simply a treat to watch. Following its letters made me feel as if I was reading a really great book. But, that’s not to say that the film isn’t cinematic. Quite on the contrary as all of those smaller moments and themes are explored through showing and never telling which is crucial in making the film sophisticated and again cinematic.

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It is a very universal movie in its themes and romance. In fact, I cannot fathom how anyone in this world cannot love it, let alone not like it. While universal in core ideas, it’s very much a Bollywood movie in its details, and that mix was a winning formula.

I am talking of course about the various food presented to us in the movie. The eating sequences do last longer, and are essential in understanding the characters and this particular culture. It’s one of the best food movies I’ve ever seen as it makes you longing for all those colorful, beautiful-looking meals.

The delivery service was fascinating to me how old-fashioned it seemed, yet incredibly well thought-out and working splendidly. It was a terrific narrative device that paid off in the end. I also loved how honest the film is in portraying life in overcrowded Indian cities and in particular horribly exhausting public transportation.

Saajan is a middle-aged widower doing his boring office work and leading a very repetitive, lonely life. The loneliness is portrayed touchingly though his long stares at a next-door neighbor family. He has trouble with getting old which is also beautifully portrayed through showing and never telling – his old smell after showering as well as his annoyance at being offered a seat in a public train.

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He gets rejuvenated through this sort of epistolary relationship with this mysterious woman, and the film’s most important message is just that – even at an older age and when all hope is lost, just a new glimmer of light in one’s life can lift one’s spirits and give him new life essentially.

Ila herself suffers a terrible marriage and a cheating husband. She also receives new hope through this correspondence of theirs, and we also get to see her mother’s relationship with her father explored very well in a couple of touching scenes.

The main characters are greatly developed and serious, but the sidekicks that each one of them has are even better. The film has a wonderful sense of humor, it made me laugh so many times and it was this great example of a universally applicable humor that works for everyone.

Auntie never appears on screen, but she left a great impression through her hilarious, cheeky lines of dialogue. The way they shared food and advice was very authentic and instantly memorable. But Shaikh is my favorite character of the movie. He is a younger man eager to befriend our lifeless protagonist, and the eventual friendship that they develop is beautiful.

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He is full of life and innocence that I wanted to hug him many times throughout the movie. He was very funny in some situations, but also possessing a huge heart which made him fleshed out and real, not just a goofy sidekick.

The Lunchbox features a terrific central romance that develops naturally and it doesn’t take the easy, clichéd way out toward its end. The film is heartwarming, heartbreaking, sweet and touching throughout with its emotional investment being earned, and never forced given that the characters are so rich and colorful, and their dramas real and grounded.

The picture is also phenomenally shot, very cinematic and artistic in many takes and instantly memorable in many of its immediate details. The pacing is also excellent, and suitably deliberate, but consistently involving. The dialogue is absolutely fantastic, again hugely realistic and at times even inspirational, offering great quotes about the most minor, but important things in life. The direction from Ritesh Batra is so amazing that it’s ridiculous how this is just his first feature. The performances are superb across the board with Khan and Siddiqui being particularly effective in their respective roles. It’s the best film of its year, and one of the best of the entire decade.

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With phenomenal performances across the board, outstanding direction from Ritesh Batra and excellent cinematography, The Lunchbox is a very cinematic movie that cleverly always shows and never tells its smaller moments of depth while the epistolary approach to it made me feel as if I was reading a great novel. It’s a very sophisticated, thematically rich, immensely universal movie that is also sprinkled with authentically Indian touches such as food, public transportation and delivery service. The humor is also excellent thanks to wonderful sidekick characters. Consequently, this is a rare romance that works in its entirety, and it’s very difficult not to absolutely fall in love with it. In my opinion, The Lunchbox is easily one of the greatest films of this decade.

My Rating – 5