Is there much more to it than that? Not really. It is an intimate act, preparing food for another person – it’s telling that it’s only when Shaikh shares in the menu too that it moves onto its most satisfying course. Writer-director Batra marinates his mature script in it, turning what could be shallow food porn into a theme of modern society – the communion of a family meal next door contrasting with the isolation of men eating bananas alone in the street.
As the ingredients race from the counter to the desk, you find yourself gazing as much at the packed lunch as the people consuming it. While this winning recipe stirs up a well-layered drama, the show is ultimately stolen by the food. Nawazuddin Siddiqui sprinkles comic relief on the top, grinning wildly as he interrupts Saajan’s private space and chops carrots on the train. Ritesh Batra peppers his dish with spicy notes of realism, conjuring up the bustling reality of Mumbai’s commuting class, a palette matched by the seasoned performances of his leads. Nimrat Kaur is equally piquant as the poignant housewife, whose husband comes home and barely even comments on the cauliflower dish he keeps getting served. If that sounds appealing, it’s because it is: Irrfan Khan, last seen over here in Life of Pi and The Amazing Spider-Man, is delightful as the weary middle-aged widower, his drooping moustache and stern gaze softening as their relationship unfolds. Saajan agrees, and so he and Ila – nudged by her meddling Auntie who lives upstairs – begin to swap notes. “She has magic hands!” cries his co-worker, Shaikh (Nawazuddin Siddiqui), a new-kid-on-the-claims-block who’s well-meaning but utterly clueless. Saajan is surprised, partly because Mumbai’s lunch delivery system is traditionally flawless, and partly because the food is incredible. Ila (Nimrat Kaur), meanwhile, slaves away in the kitchen for her neglectful hubby – only for the food to end up at someone else’s desk. The only problem for the insurance worker? It’s not his wife. When was the last time someone made lunch for you? A wife does it every day for Saajan (Irrfan Khan) in Ritesh Batra’s romantic dainty – a film that will leave your tummy rumbling, if not your heart racing.
#The lunchbox full movie online tv#
Watch The Lunchbox online in the UK: BBC iPlayer / MUBI UK / Prime Video (Buy/Rent) / Curzon Home Cinema / TalkTalk TV / iTunes Bolstered with winning performances from Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi) and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, first-time director Ritesh Batra has reworked the classic ingredients of the ‘meet cute’ romantic comedy into a disarmingly original concoction to tantalise the taste-buds and warm the heart.Cast: Irrfan Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Nimrat Kaur But this deceptively simple set-up belies an intelligent, beguiling and understated (no Bollywood songs) drama packed with delicious looking food and delightful insight. So begins a letter-based romance in the vein of such classics as Shop Around the Corner. A lonely Mumbai office worker receives the wrong packed lunch after a mix-up by the city’s famous dabbawala couriers, and is so impressed by its wonderful cuisine that he returns a note to its sender - a neglected housewife trying to rouse her husband’s affections. Mismatched lunchboxes lead to an unlikely romance in the Indian drama that’s enchanted festival audiences around the globe, winning an audience award at Cannes and a Best Film nomination at the London Film Festival.
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