The lunchbox

The lunchbox. Signifies food. With food is associated life and joy. All things positive. At the least, sustenance. This movie has so many symbolisms in it. It’s a beautiful movie that leaves you with a smile. Its poignance is amazing. Quite rare for the brash overly glamourous Bollywood cinema which is thriving more on on-your-face emotions.

There is subtlety and love and romance and betrayal and death and the past and even the future somewhat told altogether at the same time. Old reminiscences and how they rejuvenate our present lives, old betrayals and how they hurt us…yet its not time, but our own will power that makes us move on. Time does not heal things. It's us.

A simple mistake by the world famous dabbawallahs leads to a unique relationship between a crotchety old man and a lonely housewife who finds that her marriage is going to the pits as she has a cheating husband. The old man is a lonely widower who is a month away from retirement. The lonely housewife is on the verge of suicide. Both of them save each other like strangers often tend to do once you confide in them. He appreciates her food and she appreciates the care he showers on her. They have never met each other. She satisfies his need for good food. He satisfies her craving for attention and gives a few minutes of his time to her. They never meet. In the era of emails, WhatsApp and whatnot, they communicate through little pieces of paper which are wrapped in fragrant chappatis. Soon she awaits the return of her empty dabba and the reply he sends and he awaits for her delicious, spicy food and mundane recollections of her mind, her life and her thoughts. The empty dabba and pacifying words soothe her sad, comfortless life. She has an ailing father and a tired mother. A young daughter and a cheating husband. He has memories of his dead wife, noisy children of the neighbourhood and an empty house where he watches television and smokes.

These 2 very disparate characters blend their lives and come together through little pieces of paper that convey hope and despair; memories and advice; friendship and care. Mostly friendship and care. 2 people who end up getting to know each other. Through the lunchbox full of food, and little pieces of paper.

The way to the heart is indeed through the lunchbox.