The Lunchbox

"Can you fall in love with someone you have never met?"

2013 1h 44m HI

👍

7.4

SOLID

★7.4TMDB · 854

DramaRomance

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

A mistaken delivery in Mumbai's famously efficient lunchbox delivery system (Mumbai's Dabbawallahs) connects a young housewife to a stranger in the dusk of his life. They build a fantasy world together through notes in the lunchbox. Gradually, this fantasy threatens to overwhelm their reality.

“Can you fall in love with someone you have never met?”

WhatsApp X Facebook Telegram

Where to watch · US

Amazon VideoRent

Apple TV StoreRent

Google Play MoviesRent

Google Play MoviesBuy

YouTubeBuy

Fandango At HomeBuy

Cast

Irrfan Khan
Saajan Fernandes
Nimrat Kaur
Ila
Nawazuddin Siddiqui
Shaikh
Lillete Dubey
Ila's Mother
Nasir Khan
Ila's Father
Bharati Achrekar
Mrs. Khrishnan
Nakul Vaid
Rajeev
Yashvi Punneet Nagar
Yashvi

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Ritesh Batra
Writers: Ritesh Batra
Languages: English, Hindi
Countries: France, Germany, India, United States of America

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Shot for just $3.4M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

MONEY

Did you know

Made its money back 5.1× over at the box office.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Released 13 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Hindi.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

WORLD

Did you know

International production across 4 countries: France, Germany, India, United States of America.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Ritesh Batra, shot by Michael Simmonds. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Max Richter. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor John F. Lyons shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Ritesh Batra directs. Michael Simmonds behind the camera. Max Richter scores. John F. Lyons cuts. Made its budget back several times over at the box office. Produced in France, Germany, India, United States of America. Dialogue in English, Hindi.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Shot for just $3.4M — micro-budget by Hollywood standards.
2Made its money back 5.1× over at the box office.
3Released 13 years ago.
4Dialogue crosses 2 languages: English, Hindi.
5International production across 4 countries: France, Germany, India, United States of America.
6Directed by Ritesh Batra, shot by Michael Simmonds. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
7Original score by Max Richter. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
8Editor John F. Lyons shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
9Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui carry the top of the cast.
10Marketing tagline: "Can you fall in love with someone you have never met?".
11IMDB entry: tt2350496 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

The technical file

Cinematography: Michael Simmonds
Original score: Max Richter
Editing: John F. Lyons
Production design: Shruti Gupte
Costume design: Niharika Bhasin
Sound: Stephan Läufer
Runtime: 104 min · 1h 44m
Aspect ratio (typical): 1.37:1 (Academy)
Status: Released
Budget: $3,400,000
Box office: $17,240,000
Return: 507% of budget
Original language: HI
Certification (US): 12
IMDB: The Lunchbox (2013)

Also by

Ritesh Batra

Stills · wallpapers

Selected frames

Full-resolution frames — open one to save it as a wallpaper.

Wallpaper

Trailers & featurettes

Watch the pieces

Community reviews

What people are saying

Dharunn2023-04-18
★ 10/10
On the whole time, I'm watching the film like the guy who stares next to mr. Fernandez Desk with wired, bizarre, strange, funny, odd, curious, peculiar, erratic, crazy. "Dear ila, the food was very salty today"

Production companies