The Lunchbox (20 Sep 2013)

Cast: Irrfan Khan, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Nimrat Kaur, Denzil Smith, Nakul Vaid, Yashvi Puneet Nagar, Lillete Dubey, Bharati Achrekar

Director: Ritesh Batra

From which point of view, do you review this movie?

A) From the point of view of a team of leading and influential producers and co-producers who apparently joined hands to create an Indian movie straight for the Oscars!, Or, B) From the point of view of a team of very talented crew (director and actors) who created a simple but touching movie based on a simple mistake!

A) Over the years, Bollywood has churned out one after the other blockbusters. Quite a few of them have been sensible enough to be viewed and judged by the international audience (not just NRIs). But for one reason or the other, they never made to the Oscars. Either, the makers fell short of marketing, or the script somewhere fell into the category of ‘inspired’ and not original, or the movie did not match with the sensibilities of jury, especially how they perceive the Indian society and what they expect from an Indian movie! Till date only three Indian movies – Mother India, Lagaan and  Salaam Bombay have been nominated for the Oscars!

‘The Lunchbox’ has been wisely created nullifying all the aforesaid shortcomings. It is based on Indian middle class with no sense and/or need of daily grooming, cinematography totally focuses on dusty and cluttered habitats, Indian camaraderie, emotions and ethics have been highlighted. Also, there is no song and dance in the movie. Last but not the least, Mumbai ‘dabbawallas’ play an important part in the movie. This service is well recognized internationally, all thanks to their meeting with Prince Charles and a Harvard University team. The former met them during one of his Indian visits and the latter did a research on their impeccable service, so as to incorporate it as a case study in their study material.

Just to let you know, seventeen producers and co-producers are attached with this movie!

B) Ritesh Batra has created a beautiful movie wherein, throughout the camera is focused on only three main characters and a voice! It is no mean feat to achieve. You can also call this movie a ‘Song of the Unsung Heroes’, the heroes being – hands on housewives who spend major part of their day doing the household chores and also battle with their loneliness, hordes of 9 to 5 job holders who keep up with the same mundane routine years upon years without any complain and any expectation or longing of change, and gallons of home cooked fresh food which keeps the nation going and plays an important part in keeping family and friends together.

Irrfan Khan is simply superb. No words can explain his amazing range of acting and timing. The movie requires him to transform from a lonely and aloof person who barely converses and never smiles to a hopeful and semi attached person who randomly smiles and takes mild interest in other people’s lives. And you can see this gradual transformation frame by frame and not for a single moment you feel bored of seeing him and his myriad expressions. Nawazuddin Siddiqui has come across well as an eager and happy-to-please employee who speaks more than he actually works. His exuberant acting has very well complimented the detached one of Irrfan Khan. Nimrat Kaur is a revelation. You cannot believe that she is the same girl who appears in the Cadbury Dairy Milk – Silk commercial.

It is an interesting observation, that how a simple wrong delivery of a Lunch Box can spark joy and hope in the lives of the sender as well as the recipient. At the end of the day, we all just seek to be ‘wanted’, even if it is for the food we make or the appreciation that we show towards a well made food by happily cleaning off the plate.

Random relationships are differently judged by different people belonging to different cultures and state of advancement. Maybe for this reason, this movie has an abrupt ending. Or, you can say that the ending is left on the viewer’s imagination. Perhaps, this is to keep peace with both the home as well as the international audience.

It needs to be mentioned that, as per recent news, for the 86th Academy Awards i.e. Oscar entry for 2014, a Gujarati Film ‘The Good Road’ has been submitted by India, making it the first film in the language.

Shuddh Desi Romance (6 Sep 2013)

Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Parineeti Chopra, Vaani Kapoor, Rishi Kapoor

Director: Maneesh Sharma

Boy is on his way for arranged marriage with Girl1. En route he gets highly attracted to one of his rented ‘baraati’ Girl2. He leaves Girl1 at the marriage altar and runs away. He bumps again with Girl2. There is  instant chemistry and live-in relationship (at Girl2’s home) between Boy and Girl2. Love marriage to take place between them. Girl2 leaves him at the altar and runs away. Boy now bumps with Girl1 on his way to a marriage where he is one of the rented ‘baraati’ and she is one of the relatives. Soon after this meeting, they enter into a happy relationship. They are sure to get married and set the tracks right. In another marriage, where Boy is a rented ‘baraati’ and Girl1 accompanies him as his partner, they both bump into Girl2. Here, Girl2 is one of the relatives in the wedding. There is instant hot chemistry between Boy and Girl2. Assessing the situation, Girl1 disappears from the venue without any heartbreak. Again, Boy and Girl2 decide to marry. This time, both of them run away from the wedding only to bump again in their wedding fineries at the door of Girl2. They decide to continue with the live-in mode of the relationship.

Is strength of character absolutely missing in the current youth? Surely, it’s not possible. So, is this movie just a funny comedy? But, how can you take it as a mindless comedy of indecisiveness, when it is unabashedly and ruthlessly targeting the age old and universal institution of marriage? Agreed, that the blissful and perfect marriage is a myth and every marriage has its share of ups and downs, ranging from being mild to simply unbearable. But a society sans marriage will be outright savage.

However, the movie does ably show the incumbent fear of marriage within the current youth. Deep down they are lonely and seek a loyal and forever loving partner. But the current life style  and absence of active role of parents and/or guardians in their life, makes them ever paranoid to enter into a marriage. The fear of failure of marriage stops them from entering into one! Resultantly, they enter into relationships one after the other, only to become more fearful with each failed relationship.

If you leave aside the concept of this movie, you have to admit that both the direction and acting are pretty good. The actors have played their part with as much conviction and innocence as they could conjure in playing such complex characters. At any point of time, you don’t feel sad or hateful towards any of them! And in such a storyline, this is commendable. After Shah Rukh, Sushant seems to be the one who would make the giant successful leap from small screen to the big screen. Parineeti is a natural actor, very much like Kajol but a lot less boisterous. Given that this is her debut movie, Vani appears surprisingly effortless and confidant. In fact the screen chemistry that she shares with Sushant is more natural and believable. Rishi Kapoor has acted as per expectation. It is amusing to see him don the hat of a Rajasthani baniya running a wedding business. Cinematography is also good. The city of Jaipur and nearby locations have been covered well.