The Lunchbox

Composite Score: 81.4

Starring: Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Lillete Dubey, Nakul Vaid, and Bharti Achrekar

Director: Ritesh Batra

Writers: Ritesh Batra and Vasan Bala

Genres: Drama, Romance, Comedy

MPAA Rating: PG for thematic material and smoking

Box Office: $11.62 million worldwide

Why should you Watch This Film?

                The Lunchbox is a unique romantic dramedy set in Mumbai about a man and woman who begin a romance as a result of a misdelivered lunchbox. While containing some of the tropes of other romantic films, the story is unique in its crafting and delivery. It also successfully explores relationship issues and the impact of aging along with a statement against smoking. There is a lot going on in this film, so it can get cluttered, but the overall tapestry that it weaves is one worth taking a look at.

Why shouldn’t you Watch This Film?

                When consuming romantic stories, audiences usually want some closure as to whether the couple ends up together or not. This film does not do that. The ending is left intentionally ambiguous, allowing each audience member to determine for themselves whether or not Saajan and Ila end up with one another. While intentional and effective, it does leave you with a slight taste of disappointment right at the end of the film as anticipation builds toward a final potential meeting but is left unresolved when the credits roll.

                Some people may also take issue with the nature of the relationship that features in the film. Ila (Nimrat Kaur) is a young married woman with a small daughter, while Saajan (Irrfan Khan) is an aging widower and accountant with no children. They make a highly unlikely pair, creating some issues, no doubt, for some viewers. Their own lives’ similarities are highlighted in the letters that they send to one another and also in some very solidly juxtaposed film work, but some viewers might not be able to overcome the age difference enough to become invested in the romance that blossoms between the two.

So wait, why should you Watch This Film?

                The uniqueness of the plot’s execution, despite its relatively normative roots, makes this a film worth watching. Two strangers start a correspondence after an unlikely accidental circumstance introduces them into each other’s lives, and they fall in love with one another through their correspondence – that’s the plot of this film and also many other romances (see The Shop Around the Corner or You’ve Got Mail). However, the film’s execution of this plot, basing it around an incredibly efficient and precise lunchbox delivery system and having a relationship starting based around food that was intended for one of the character’s significant others, is really fun to watch.

                Another element that lifts this film above the normal romantic comedies or dramedies is its side characters. Every side character contributes to the plot and helps make the film even more entertaining. Shaikh (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) – Saajan’s coworker and upcoming replacement – is perhaps the best of these “side characters”. He is an orphan who wants Saajan to teach him how to do his job for when Saajan retires. When he is introduced, Shaikh is seen as a nuisance to Saajan, who seeks to avoid Shaikh at every turn. Eventually, as Saajan’s relationship with Ila develops, he softens toward Shaikh and the two become friends as well. Shaikh even eventually asks Saajan to serve as his witness at his marriage ceremony, representing his only family; an incredibly moving scene, which sets up a more comedic one when the marriage actually happens.

                Because of the film’s exploration of old age, infidelity, poverty, and other heavy themes, some critics might not classify it as a comedy; however, as I write this, I can’t ignore the humor that is sprinkled throughout the film, keeping a sense of levity even as the two protagonists suffer through some difficult experiences. Ila’s “Auntie” who lives on the next floor up provides a consistent dose of comedy throughout the film, joking about Ila’s husband building her a Taj Mahal and offering Ila spicy peppers to add to the food after Saajan critiques the food’s saltiness early on. There are visual gags throughout, one of the most notable being at Shaikh’s wedding when the photos are taken, the camera has to move to encompass all of Shaikh’s wife’s family while leaving only Saajan on his side. Yes, it is a reminder of Shaikh’s orphanhood, but the filming and framing of the scene are done in a fairly lighthearted way that made me chuckle. Other moments of humor peppered throughout the film keep it from becoming purely a romantic drama and help it feel wholesome despite its ambiguous ending.

                Comedy, unique storytelling, and solid side characters build The Lunchbox into a great film, worth watching despite its lack of conclusive ending and its potentially problematic central relationship. The film is Western enough in its storytelling and visuals to make it a solid entry point for people looking to dive deeper into Bollywood films. The performances are well-crafted, and the film does a good job of telling an old story in a new way to keep audiences happy.