Fall In Love With “The Lunchbox”

By Pablo Vaca 3-14-14

Irrfan Khan in “The Lunchbox.” Photo Credit: Michael Simmonds / Sony Pictures Classics.

“The Lunchbox” revolves around Ila, a young woman living in Mumbai, who dedicates her mornings to preparing the prefect lunch for her husband as she hopes that through food he will notice her.

The lunchbox is pickup by a delivery man who has to take it to the office of Ila’s husband. But somehow the lunchbox  is wrongly given to Saajan, an older man whose wife has passed away, and who ever since has become some kind of Scrooge.

When the lunchbox is returned to Ila she is surprised to find it completely empty and thinks her husband will finally notice her. She soon later learns that it was not her husband who eat her food. Because her husband didn’t notice this she decides not to tell the delivery man of the mistake, instead deciding to cook for a stranger who will eat her food. Along with the food Ila send a letter to the mysterious eater.

Saajan replies to Ila’s letter, which is the beginning of an ongoing daily correspondence. It is quite obvious, through what they write to each other, that Ila and Saajan are meant to be together because they understand each other.

The first act of the film is pure cinematic joy, but the second act is at times dull and long due to a couple of unnecessary subplots.

Overall the movie is a pleasure to watch, reminiscent to “Like Water for Chocolate” and “Babette’s Feast”; it shows how food can bring people together.