VISITOR COLUMN

The brilliance in the writing of “LUNCH BOX” is the way it has managed to subterfuge technology and yet it provides us a contemporary movie. LUNCH BOX is a simple story, beautifully narrated and performances that will be remembered for a long time to come. There is a character in the movie whose voice is all that you will hear, but you would still not miss her physical presence, that’s how influential the character and the voice over is, credit to the writer again. The only flaw could be the missing melodrama or just drama, the way the characters in the movie react with that right amount of subtlety that you would feel a little flat at certain places in the movie. That again to an extent is compensated with the character of ila’s mother, but it looks strained and out of sorts. The neatly woven characters in the movie  seem to be more in acceptance mode than in denial and when they do get a chance to exhibit the rebel in them they still find a cautious approach. It’s the same with most of the characters in the story, so much to say; even the kids in the movie seem to have their emotions in control. Yet Lunch Box works big time and the biggest credit should go to the actors in the movie.
 

Irfan Khan, if talent alone were to be the measure for the actors salaries this Khan should by far be the richest actor in the country. Irfan Khan is the wealthiest talent seen on screen today. He fits the role to a “T”. His body language expresses his character impressively. He plays to close perfection the gait of a man who is beginning to experience old age.
 

Nawazuddin Siddiqui lightens up the pace as well as the screen whenever he pops up. 
He never lets his guard down despite the indomitable presence of Irfan Khan. Some of the most enjoyable scenes in the movie are between these two actors with tremendous ability and both measure up so well that it’s a visual treat. Nawaz’s character is of a smart opportunist and this talented actor sizes it up immediately with his magnificent expression and exquisite dialogue delivery.
 

Make way men, if there is one actor who surprised everyone in the movie, it has to be the relatively unproven Nimrat Kaur. The “cook” in the movie and she cooks up such a luscious performance that it’s hard to take your eyes off her. She is the live wire in the movie, the one who perhaps has to work more and does an exemplary job of it. Her character has so little in return from the other characters in terms of reactions, for most of the time she spends her time alone and her emotions are one way. This is where Nimrat Kaur exceeds expectations. As everyday mom, as an unexpecting wife, as a “converse” friend with the aunt upstairs and the long distance “romantic”, she performs every bit of it with élan and dignity. Full marks to her.
 

LUNCH BOX on the whole is a scrumptious recipe by writer Ritesh Batra, with the best of ingredients in the lead actors,  cooked masterfully with the right dose of emotions and affection by the director Ritesh Batra..
 

A fitting tribute to the 100 years of Indian Cinema!!!!