1 Live Review: Touching .Moving. Classic.
Spoiler Alert: I have briefly described a few funny scenes from the movie.
There are so many good things about this movie that I do not know where to start. Be it that supportive aunty who lives above Ila’s (Nimrat kaur) flat, the new recruit (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) in Fernandez’s (Irrfan Khan) office who cuts vegetables on office files, a full movie where the 2 leading characters never ever talk to each other but only write letters and a full movie where you keep feeling hungry looking at each awesome recipe etc.
The lunchbox is an epistolary movie (based on letters) and these letters come in lunchboxes delivered by the famous dubbawalas of Mumbai. The idea of this movie started as making a documentary on dubbawalas but then while studying these men Ritesh Batra (director of this movie) realized a lot goes on with each dabba than just perfection in delivery, hence the script and this movie. And boy, what a movie. I loved every bit of it.
Ila, has a husband who hardly has any interest left in her and a daughter, she
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| Aunty who lives above. |
sends awesomely cooked food for her husband but it reaches Fernandez instead. The story written in letters, sent in these dubbas starts here and in the entire movie the 2 of them never meet! Now, that’s interesting. The aunty who lives above Ila’s flat is never shown in the movie but can be heard only. You can easily recognise this women. A famous comedian on Indian television. She has an integral part in making those dishes so much more mouth watering.
Then you have Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Shaikh (btw I am a big fan of this man’s amazing acting skills) who never disappoints showing up at lunchtime with his 2 banana (and a few lunchboxes later with 2 apples too) so that he could share this awesome lunchbox with Fernandez. You will die laughing when you see him cutting vegetables on top of office files while siting in a local train. And the other scene where Fernandez tells him once he pushed a man in front of a bus and he died and warns Shaikh to stay alert.
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| Here, take my banana & apple. |
Then the whole dubbawalas angle, this movie is actually a documentary on them (which the director initially planned to make) and along with it there is a love story running. All the dubbawala shots are real. The scene where one dubbawala argues with Ila that his dubba delivery cannot go wrong as the Harvard people have certified it and Prince Charles & many celebrities have appreciated it, is funny in a cute way!
The whole story felt so genuine that its hard that it will not touch your heart. Moreover the classic acting by the lead actors will simply mesmerize you. But the climax could have been better. I felt. Nevertheless this one was surely a worth consideration for sending it the Oscars (eventually it was not sent) but then it will surely get enough awards in India. Sadly it may never be able to hit 200 crores or hit a string with the masses who appreciates a Chennai Express or a Ready kind of movie, they can give this movie a pass. Everyone else go watch it NOW.
And yes, this movie will make you hungry, very hungry. Interval time should have been 20 minutes instead of the regular 5 minutes, atlest for this movie!
Statutory Warning: Do not watch it empty stomach.
You can thank me later. Bon Appetit.
Thats a fantastic review Aditya..Thank you for this information too : "The idea of this movie started as making a documentary on dubbawalas but then while studying these men Ritesh Batra (director of this movie) realized a lot goes on with each dabba than just perfection in delivery, hence the script and this movie."
Really such a beautiful movie it is.. 🙂
Thank you so much Dipashri for your continued appreciation! 🙂
Good Review Aditya.. Its a must watch… Irfan's capabilities to make the audience laugh with a straight face and sarcastic liners is commendable in this movie.. I agree with you that the Ending could have been more crisp and clear.. Nevertheless it is "Touching, Moving and Classic" indeed. 🙂
Thank you so much Neha. Yes, with such great actors and innovative script its got to be good movie! For a better ending, guess unko Bhutan chale hi jaana tha! 🙂
ha ha… yes! away from the loneliness in crowded city to togetherness in a spacious country… NHI in bhutan would then double its current no. 🙂
Well said! 🙂