The Lunchbox

The Lunchbox

A Film Review

“The Lunchbox” is an Indian movie with an Indian cast set in the Mumbai metropolis but with English dialogue and is created more in the Hollywood movie style which is reminiscent of the 1930-1940s.

Although it fits into the romantic genre it is so unlike your usual rom coms because of the slow pace and the deliberate restraint in terms of the story line as well as the central character’s demeanour.

Ila(Nimrat Kaur) who is stuck in a loveless marriage and whose husband is having an affair lovingly makes his lunch every day and puts these delicious curries in tiffins ( stackable stainless steel containers) in an attempt to win his affections. However, although the intricate delivery system of these lunches is almost error free, her lunches lands by mistake on the desk of an unsmiling accountant, Saajan Fenandez(played by Irfan Khan from “Life of Pi” fame) who is a widower on the brink of retirement. He sends a thank you note to the unknown person who made his aromatic, flavoursome lunch and the exchange of notes soon evolves into sharing of confidences by this unlikely couple.

Played against the backdrop of the fast paced, hectic Mumbai dhabawalla system, the relationship, in stark contrast, unfolds slowly and poignantly. Irfan Khan stands out with his understated characterisation and whose quiet, dignified silence speaks volumes.

If you like the slow moving pace of an earlier movie style where the focus is more on characterisation and dialogue instead of a frenetic unfolding of the plot, then you too would thoroughly enjoy this movie which I tuned into on Netflix.