Rent The Lunchbox (2013)
3.9 of 5 from 456 ratings
1h 41min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
- When Saajan (Irrfan Khan), an ill-tempered Mumbai office worker nearing retirement, is delivered the wrong lunch he is pleasantly surprised by the improvement in his food. The lunchbox had been intended for young housewife Ila's emotionally indifferent husband in an attempt to win back his favour. When he fails to respond to her efforts, Ila decides to enclose a note in the next meal and Saajan, his taste-buds tickled and his interest piqued, decides to write back...
- Actors:
- Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Lillete Dubey, Nakul Vaid, Bharti Achrekar, Yashvi Puneet Nagar, Denzil Smith, Shruti Bapna, Nasir Khan, Lokesh Raj, Sadashiv Kondaji Pokarkar, Aarti Rathod, Krishna Bai, Raj Rishi More, Santosh Kumar Chaurasiya, Swapnil Shirirao, Avijit Khanwilkar, Aakash Sinha, Xavier Hodges
- Directors:
- Ritesh Batra
- Producers:
- Anurag Kashyap, Guneet Monga, Arun Rangachari
- Writers:
- Ritesh Batra, Vasan Bala
- Aka:
- Dabba
- Studio:
- Artificial Eye Film Company Ltd.
- Genres:
- Bollywood, Comedy, Drama, Romance
- Countries:
- India
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 14/07/2014
- Run Time:
- 105 minutes
- Languages:
- English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English LPCM Stereo, Hindi DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Hindi LPCM Stereo
- Subtitles:
- English
- Formats:
- Pal
- Aspect Ratio:
- Widescreen 1.78:1 / 16:9
- Colour:
- Colour
- BLU-RAY Regions:
- B
- Bonus:
- Interviews with Ritesh Batra and Nimrat Kaur
- Short film 'Cafe Regular, Cairo'
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Reviews (9) of The Lunchbox
Simply Brilliant - The Lunchbox review by DB
A lovely movie, well made and well shot. A great story which eases you along with the flow of that great continent. What I particularly love about it is that it's a film about ordinary people, not the the usual run of the mill Indian spectacular film with riches abounding. Instead it's about a simple guy and a woman who increasingly finds that her marriage is not what she thought. The idea of corresponding through notes takes us back to earlier pre-email times. The hero displays all the doubts and fears of a man grown old who perhaps finds love in the unlikeliest of places. This is well worth watching in it's original form before Hollywood steals the plot and ruins it in the inimitable fashion of all their imitations.
4 out of 4 members found this review helpful.
Moving, funny and it makes you hungry - The Lunchbox review by AS
Moving, funny and it makes you hungry (for curry).
I watched this with my kids and the next day my 8 year old said "That was a really funny film last night", so the kids obviously picked up on the humour which was provided by 'Auunnttieee' and the work colleague.
I loved and was touched by the concept, and the acting, and the city. The portrayal of the trains, the lunch box system, the food, was so authentic as to be transportative, and it was easy to fall in love with the main characters. The ending had me gasp
3 out of 3 members found this review helpful.
Lovely film but only the foreign dialogue is subtitled - The Lunchbox review by CP Customer
I am deaf and rely on subtitles. The language is both Hindi and English and as the information says, the subtitles are in English. It hadn't occurred to me that they would only be on screen during the Hindi dialogue leaving me completely in the dark as to what was happening for half the film. My hearing partner had to pause it at the end of every sentence and repeat it back to me which ruined the film for him also. I have to agree with all of the other reviewers and would have happily given this film five stars had it not been for my own difficulty with it. I have notified Cinema Paradiso of the problem but, strictly speaking, the information already given is accurate, hence this warning - D/deaf and HoH members please be aware!
3 out of 3 members found this review helpful.
Critic review
The Lunchbox (aka Dabba) review by George Hooper - Cinema Paradiso
It’s hard to dispel the notion that parts of foreign cinema will be confusing and undecipherable to some, it’s even harder to dispel those ideas in your own head and with The Lunchbox I went in expecting a film that would have a different idea of the modern romance thanks to its foreign setting. What I found however is stories like this carry across oceans and continents as love and friendship are at their core very human feelings and they all transfer with The Lunchbox being a testament to that fact.
The film follows Saajan (Irrfan Khan), a man who is on the verge of retirement but when he is one day given a lunch box containing food meant for someone else it starts a relationship he never thought he would have. When Ila (Nimrat Kaur) sends her food to her husband it is misdirected and sent to Saajan and the two start sending each other letters as they struggle with their own problems such as life after work and a distant husband. Together the two deal with their problems and find solace.
While the duo’s noticable age gap does seem odd and hard to navigate it actually transforms the film into a much more emotional and potent drama as it traverses the many issues between these two very different people as they attempt to reach the same page as each of them pushes through their various strifes. Khan is excellent as Saajan and his business like demeanour slips away nicely throughout the film adding more layers to his at first narrow minded character.
While the film never expressly treats Saajan and Ila as destined to be together or even right for each other it does feel open to the possibilities, the idea that kindred spirits exist regardless of place, time and consequences. The Lunchbox is really all about there being no stops to life and whatever position you find yourself in there is always a door or action that can cause irreparable harm or great joy, it’s just choosing which door to pick, leaving you hoping that Saajan and Ila pick the right one