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The Lunchbox

  • 2013
  • Tous publics
  • 1h 44m
IMDb RATING
7.8/10
66K
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
4,383
888
The Lunchbox (2013)
A mistaken delivery in Mumbai's famously efficient lunchbox delivery system connects a young housewife to an old man in the dusk of his life as they build a fantasy world together through notes in the lunchbox. Gradually, this fantasy threatens to overwhelm their reality.
Play trailer2:06
8 Videos
99+ Photos
HindiDramaRomance

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 ... Read allA 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.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
    • Vasan Bala
  • Stars
    • Irrfan Khan
    • Nimrat Kaur
    • Nawazuddin Siddiqui
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.8/10
    66K
    YOUR RATING
    POPULARITY
    4,383
    888
    • Director
      • Ritesh Batra
    • Writers
      • Ritesh Batra
      • Vasan Bala
    • Stars
      • Irrfan Khan
      • Nimrat Kaur
      • Nawazuddin Siddiqui
    • 281User reviews
    • 187Critic reviews
    • 76Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 30 wins & 46 nominations total

    Videos8

    Theatrical Trailer
    Trailer 2:06
    Theatrical Trailer
    All About Nimrat Kaur
    Clip 1:39
    All About Nimrat Kaur
    All About Nimrat Kaur
    Clip 1:39
    All About Nimrat Kaur
    Clip
    Clip 1:03
    Clip
    Clip
    Clip 1:22
    Clip
    The Lunchbox: Wrong Address (US)
    Clip 1:03
    The Lunchbox: Wrong Address (US)
    The Lunchbox: Life Is Busy (US)
    Clip 0:55
    The Lunchbox: Life Is Busy (US)

    Photos113

    View Poster
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    + 109
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    Top Cast41

    Edit
    Irrfan Khan
    Irrfan Khan
    • Saajan Fernandes
    Nimrat Kaur
    Nimrat Kaur
    • Ila
    Nawazuddin Siddiqui
    Nawazuddin Siddiqui
    • Shaikh
    Lillete Dubey
    Lillete Dubey
    • Ila's Mother
    Nakul Vaid
    Nakul Vaid
    • Rajeev
    Bharti Achrekar
    Bharti Achrekar
    • Auntie
    Yashvi Puneet Nagar
    • Yashvi
    Denzil Smith
    Denzil Smith
    • Mr. Shroff
    Shruti Bapna
    Shruti Bapna
    • Mehrunnisa
    Nasir Khan
    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
    Santosh Kumar Chaurasiya
    • Autorickshaw Driver
    Avijit Khanwilkar
    • Young Man in Train
    Aakash Sinha
    • Autorickshaw 2
    • Director
      • Ritesh Batra
    • Writers
      • Ritesh Batra
      • Vasan Bala
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews281

    7.866.4K
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    Featured reviews

    8kirankumarfrank

    A Lunchbox to fill you craving for a good Bollywood movie

    Lunchbox review: Note: Don't open this Dabba if you don't like slow paced movies!!

    After a long time i have watched a Bollywood movie where in the movie makes you think about your life and how it can buzz past you before you realize it and that if you don't start to enjoy the small things like the bendi ki sabji, you will be made to eat Aloo Gobi every day (Just kidding) As they say in the movie "Sometimes the wrong train takes you to the right destination" ie Every cloud has a silver lining!!

    The story revolves around a misplaced dabba (Trivia: Dabbawala's supposedly have a low error ratio, i.e "one mistake in 8 million deliveries."!!) Irrfan Khan has done a tremendous job both in acting and narrating the story. Nimrat Kaur(the Dairy Milk Silk girl!! ) and Nawazuddin Siddiqui fit their characters perfectly and have done a wonderful job portraying their roles. The only downside is that the pace of the movie is bit slow. But if they had edited it further it would have been a 1hr episode!

    The Gujarati film "The Good Road" must have been really good to beat this to be the India's entry into the Oscars.

    Rating: I will go with ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ /★★★★★ for this wonderful film.
    10visheshvijay

    Delicious Love Story

    In an age when instant messaging, email, and various social media have made communication easier and quicker, debutant writer-director Ritesh Batra relies on scribbled notes tucked in tiffin boxes to deliver a charming, old-fashioned love story in The Lunchbox. There's a simple line in this sumptuous film that captures its essence beautifully: "Sometimes even the wrong train can take you to the right destination." It's a line that might help interpret the film's open ending, but one that also nicely sums up its unique premise.

    I'm going with ten ratings for The Lunchbox. The greatest love stories are the ones that make you root for the protagonists to come together, despite their destinies. This film illustrates how love transforms the unlikeliest of people; it breaks down Saajan's walls and gives Ila the courage to fly. Treat yourself to The Lunchbox – it'll leave you with a craving to seek your own little happiness. Best film I've seen in a long time. Acting of Irfan 10/10 Film Rating - 10/10

    I believe that this time LunchBox will surely make history in Oscars .
    8ravi-cramchandani

    Subtle, simple and refreshingly fresh

    The first glimpse of the movie , promises you that it is't a 'just another regular bollywood movie', its refreshingly Fresh and New.

    The beauty of the entire film lies in the subtlety, whether be it the story, the the actors, characters their mannerisms(when their lips quiver on getting excited, their long and deep searching eyes, the half smiles on the edges, when Ila first time presumes her husband to have an extra-marital affair). Again all of these things are very much there without they saying it explicitly so.

    Very rarely you come across a movie that moves at a comfortable pace, not trying to either rush or stagnate itself at any point. The TG for this movie is definitely not people across all age groups as the producers claim, but it's specially for those who are happy or contented without searching for that something extra in their everyday lives. It doesn't talk about any extra ordinary accomplishments of individuals, nor does it talk about destiny, life or happiness. It just talks about very simple human behavior, when it comes to falling in love.

    The end may or may not disappoint you...its very subjective(personally I was a lil), but yea you can tailor your apt end based on whether you are a optimist or a pessimist.
    8bionmba

    Great story line, effortless performances, definitely worth a watch!

    To be able to write an involving story on something considered impossible is the hallmark of a good writer. 'The Lunchbox' is based on such a story surrounding the dabbawalas of Mumbai.

    One mistake that brews a terrific relationship between two strangers, so delicately portrayed through the exchange of letters. There are only three actors in this film and each has delivered a stellar performance. None of them have many dialogues, but their expressions and motions depict their character in such an excellent manner, you wished there were even fewer lines! Irrfan proves with every new film that he in fact is the best 'Khan' of Bollywood and Nawazuddin can just not disappoint. He's used his GoW success to break into films such as this one and done justice to each role. Nimrat Kaur's simplicity throughout the film looks so effortless and yet so unbelievable for the Bollywood of today, which is ever so increasingly synonymous of excessive glamour and fashion.

    Cinematography is average, but again, this isn't a 'visual' movie, it's more of a story. Direction looks great as Ritesh has been able to get the best out of his cast. Well, you'd have to try real hard to have Irrfan and Nawaz amidst your cast and yet churn a flop, but the director does deserve some credit.

    In my opinion, this is the second best film of the year after Madras Cafe. I haven't seen Bhaag Milkha Bhaag though, so that might change things for me. Either way, this is in no way a bore or a drag as the film keeps you hooked onto the amazing story line and individual performances.

    Enjoy!
    8sonalijagwani

    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.

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    Related interests

    Sharman Joshi, Aamir Khan, and Madhavan in 3 Idiots (2009)
    Hindi
    Naomie Harris, Mahershala Ali, Janelle Monáe, André Holland, Herman Caheej McGloun, Edson Jean, Alex R. Hibbert, and Tanisha Cidel in Moonlight (2016)
    Drama
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
    Romance

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      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.
    • Goofs
      After his marriage, Shaikh tells Saajan that on their first train ride together he got into the first class compartment without a ticket. However, during their first ride the train seat seen is that of the second class.
    • Quotes

      Saajan Fernandes: I think we forget things if there is nobody to tell them.

    • Connections
      Featured in 59th Idea Filmfare Awards (2014)

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    FAQ20

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    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 11, 2013 (France)
    • Countries of origin
      • India
      • France
      • Germany
      • United States
      • Canada
    • Official sites
      • Cine Mosaic
      • Official Site
    • Language
      • Hindi
    • Also known as
      • Chiếc Hộp Lạ Kì
    • Filming locations
      • Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
    • Production companies
      • Sikhya Entertainment
      • DAR Motion Pictures
      • National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $4,235,151
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $44,542
      • Mar 2, 2014
    • Gross worldwide
      • $11,621,785
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 1h 44m(104 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.35 : 1

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