The Lunchbox Movie Details :
The Lunchbox Movie is an 2013 Indian-French-German-American Bollywood epistolary romance film written and directer is Ritesh Batra, and producer is Guneet Monga, Anurag Kashyap, and Arun Rangachari. The film was jointly producer is various studios including DAR motion pictures, UTV Motion Pictures, Dharma Productions, Sikhya Entertainment, NFDC (India), ROH Films (Germany), ASAP Films (France), and the Cine Mosaic (United States).It stars Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui in lead roles. The film was screened at International Critics’ Week at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, and later won the Critics Week Viewers Choice Award also known as Grand Rail d’Or.It was shown at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.The film was released in India on 20 September 2013.
The film was a box-office success. It was Irrfan Khan’s highest-grossing Hindi film, until it was surpassed by Hindi Medium (2017). The Lunchbox was nominated for the Best Film Not in the English Language category of the British Academy Film Awards 2015.
- Directer : Ritesh Batra
- Producer : Arun Rangachari,Anurag Kashyap,Guneet Monga,Karan Johar,Siddharth Roy Kapur,Meraj Shaikh,Vikramjit Roy,Danis Tanovic
- Writter : Ritesh Batra
- Starring : Irrfan Khan,Nimrat Kaur,Nawazuddin Siddiqui
- Music : Max Richter
- Cinematography : Michael Simmonds
- Editer : John F. Lyons
- Casting : Seher Latif
- Production Design : Shruti Gupte
- Set Decoration : Pradeep Paul Francis,Akshi Kapoor
- Costume Design : Niharika Bhasin
- Makeup Department : Vijay Shikare,Serina Texiera
- Visual Effects : Sultan Bal,Vinay Chuppal,Yarlagadda Ganapathi
- Production Company : Sikhya Entertainment,DAR Motion Pictures,National Film Development Corporation of India
- Distributer : Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
- Genres : Drama,Romance
- Release date : 20 September 2013
- Running time : 105 minutes
- Country : India
- Language : Hindi
The Lunchbox Movie Wacth Online :
Star Cast of The Film :
- Irrfan Khan as a Saajan Fernandes
- Nimrat Kaur as a Ila
- Nawazuddin Siddiqui as a Shaikh
- Lillete Dubey as a Ila’s Mother
- Nakul Vaid as a Rajeev
- Bharti Achrekar as a Auntie
- Yashvi Puneet Nagar as a Yashvi
- Denzil Smith as a Mr. Shroff
- Shruti Bapna as a Mehrunnisa
- Nasir Khan as a Ila’s Father (as Nasir Khan)
- Lokesh Raj as a Duke’s Owner
- Sadashiv Kondaji Pokarkar as a Dabbawallah at Ila’s House
- Aarti Rathod as a Saajan’s Neighbor
- Krishna Bai as a Toothless Woman
- Raj Rishi More as a Ila’s Brother
- Santosh Kumar Chaurasiya as a Autorickshaw Driver
- Avijit Khanwilkar as a Young Man in Train
- Aakash Sinha as a Autorickshaw 2
- Xavier Hodges as a Very Old Couple
- Rosemary Hodges as a Very Old Couple
- Hubart Vossoaker as a Neighbor’s Family
- Rosemary Vossoaker as a Neighbor’s Family
- Flory Vossoaker as a Neighbor’s Family
- Sebastian Vossoaker as a Neighbor’s Family
- Quitira Vossoaker as a Neighbor’s Family
- Baaburao Sankpal as a Dabbawallah at Saajan’s Office
- Chandrakantha Rajani as a Saajan’s Office Staff 1
- Mahesh Mahadev Salavkar as a Office Peon
- Rita Sonal Panjatan as a (voice)
- Swapnil Shrirao as a Duke’s Waiter
Story of The Film :
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.
Production :
Development :
Ritesh Batra, who had made short films, The Morning Ritual, Gareeb Nawaz ki Taxi and Cafe Regular, Cairo, started researching for a documentary on the famous Lunchbox delivery system of Mumbai, dabbawala, known for their efficiency, however after spending a week with them in 2007, he got to know of many interesting personal stories they would overhear while waiting outside an apartment. This idea gave birth to the idea of the film, and instead of making the documentary he began writing a film script. In time the film became a joint production between Sikhya Entertainment, DAR motion pictures, National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), India, ROH Films, Germany, ASAP Films, France and the Cine Mosaic, US of Lydia Dean Pilcher who previously produced films like, The Talented Mr Ripley (1999) and The Namesake (2007), and Germany’s Match Factory became its international sales agent.
Writing :
Batra completed the first draft of the screenplay in 2011. He was assisted by Rutvik Oza. It went on to win an Honorable Jury Mention at the 2012 Cinemart at the Rotterdam International Film Festival. Thereafter the project was part of the Talent Project Market of Berlin International Film Festival and was mentored at the screenwriter’s lab (Torino Film Lab) at the Torino Film Festival. The character of Ila played by Nimrat Kaur, six months prior to the shooting, and the character played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui was further developed and improvised during shooting.
Casting :
Irrfan Khan liked the script of the film and the concept of his character, not speaking much but talking through notes. After seeing Batra’s short film and a couple of meetings he agreed to act in the film. Batra wanted to work with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, another principal character of the film, for a long time. For the female lead, auditions were conducted, wherein Nimrat Kaur was selected. Kaur had extensive experience at the Mumbai theatre and worked in films like Peddlers. Some of the dabbawalas who the director befriended while researching for the film, also were cast in minor roles.
Film Shooting :
The film was shot in 2012 in Mumbai at a budget of 220 million. Prior to the filming, the cast rehearsed for six months. It was shot using the Arri Alexa digital film camera. Many of the scenes were logistically broken down to make way for last minute location changes. According to Ritesh Batra, scenes on the train involved the use of only one compartment, and even included actual local commuters when needed.
Film Shooting lasted 29 days, with a majority of the film’s scenes done in three weeks. Afterwards, footage taken in a documentary manner were shot. Mumbai’s famous dabbawalas were provided actual lunchboxes to deliver, and followed by a four-member film crew, which filmed the process in documentary style.
Release and reception :
Screenings and film festivals :
The film was screened on 19 May 2013 as a part of the International Critics’ Week at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation and positive reviews. It won the Critics Week Viewers Choice Award also known as Grand Rail d’Or. Variety called it “a notable debut from tyro helmer-scripter Ritesh Batra”, for creating a film with “crossover appeal of Monsoon Wedding”, and also praised acting of Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur.
Thereafter, Sony Pictures Classics picked up all North American rights for distribution.
In India, this film was released in more than 400 screens on 20 September 2013.
The Lunchbox Movie Songs / Music :
- ”Mera Dil Bhi Kitna Pagal Hai” – Kumar Sanu & Alka Yagnik
- ”Saajan ” – Kumar Sanu & Alka Yagnik
Full Video Song :
- Singer: Kumar Sanu & Alka Yagnik
- Music: Nadeem – Shravan
- Lyrics: Sameer
Full Video Song :
- Singer: Kumar Sanu & Alka Yagnik
- Music Composer: Nadeem Shravan
- Lyrics: Sameer
The Lunchbox Movie Review :
This film review are Mostly Positive from Critics, IMDB Public Reviewing site give 7.8 Star Out Of 10 Star with Reviewers are 50,608.
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.
Critics Rating by Taran Adarsh, from Bollywood Hungama give 4 star out of 5 Star.
The Lunchbox Movie Box Office Collection :
INDIA
Schedule | Amount (Lakhs/Crores) |
---|---|
First Day | 01 Crores 25 Lakhs |
First Weekend | 07 Crores 10 Lakhs |
End of Week 1 | 11 Crores 62 Lakhs |
End of Week 2 | 18 Crores 87 Lakhs |
Box office Nett | 20 Crores 19 Lakhs |
Box office Gross | 25 Crores 88 Lakhs |
Overseas Gross | 74 Crores 14 Lakhs |
Worldwide collections Gross | 100 Crores 02 Lakhs |
Budget | 22 Crores 00 Lakhs |
Box Office Verdict | AVERAGE |