The Lunch Box is a film that won many awards at Film festivals, and also touched the hearts of million viewers. But let me tell you this is not another review about the film, story-line, screenplay, direction et al. I don't think I have any expertise for that. This is just about what the film did for me.
The film is set in Mumbai, and explores the feeling of loneliness that consumes those who live in this city at some point or the other. If you live in Mumbai, you'll fall in love with this place for its live and let live attitude but also cringe at the fact that sometimes you get lost in the herd of faces.Some where down the road you will miss the intimacy of a small town where everyone knows you. And you long to be heard.
This too is a story of a widower Mr. Sajaan Fernandez and a housewife Ila, who live in Mumbai and are lonely in their own way. Fernandez lives alone after his wife passes away and is a loner who envies those who are blessed with families to share their lives with. His dinner is made of take-away and dabba's delivered to his place. Ila, longs for her husband's attention who is busy with his work and his phone, to a point where she assumes he is having an affair. The only companion she has is her neighbour whom she addresses as 'aunty'. We don't get to see her, we only hear her voice.
Due to some uncanny circumstance Saajan and Ila strike up a friendship over a dabba (Lunchbox) that is delivered at the wrong address. The dabba that Ila religiously prepares for her husband ends up in the desk of Saajan. So, she writes a note to him telling him that it was meant for her husband not him. Sajaan relpies to her in a single sentence.That is when the story begins. They speak to each other through letters, and discuss their lives, happiness and problems with ease over a period of time. Sajaan advices her on how she can work on her marriage that is falling apart, and she tells him how smoking can be harmful for him. One of Saajan's vices.
The essence of the movie for me could be captured in a single dialogue, "We forget things when we have no one to tell to."
Both these characters are longing for a little bit of attention, for friendship and love. They are longing for someone to converse with and share their fears and hopes with. And their search end when they find each other. Their love and affection for each other is far deeper than the love we romanticize about. And that is the beauty of the story. It is a search for a companion, not promises of bringing down the moon. It is about a desperate need to be heard. The relationship between Ila and Fernandez wins you over.
The film delicately paints the pain of growing old alone, the longing of feeling needed and love itself.Through out the film the two never meet and yet weave a tale of love and understanding that could hardly be captured in an elaborate love affair.
There is more to this film yet I choose not to get into the many aspects of it. For me it is a tale of emotions that could be mine or my next door neighbour or the person sitting next to me in the local.
If human emotions and their complexities are your thing then this is a film that you have to watch.The ease with which the story flows is just the opposite of the emotions that it has captured. Do watch it to get a view of a city life thru a tinted glass.
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