The Lunchbox#Screenings and film festivals

Ila (Nimrat Kaur) is a young housewife seeking the attention of her husband, Rajeev (Nakul Vaid), and searching for ways to bring the romance back into her marriage; one of her ideas is to cook delicious lunches for him. Through a rare mix-up of the dabbawalas (a complicated food delivery system in Mumbai that picks up and delivers lunches from restaurants or homes to people at work), the tiffin carrier (lunchbox) Ila prepares for her husband gets accidentally delivered, instead, to Saajan Fernandes (Irrfan Khan), a middle-aged widower who is about to retire from his job of an accountant. Ila eventually realises the mistake and with the advice of her neighbour aunt, Mrs. Deshpande (Bharti Achrekar - voice only), living in the apartment above her, writes a letter to Saajan about the mix-up and places it in the lunchbox (along with her husband's favourite meal) the next day. An exchange of letters sent back and forth with the lunches ignites a friendship between the two, as they share memories and events from their own lives.

At work, Saajan is tasked with training his replacement, Aslam Shaikh (Nawazuddin Siddiqui). Socially distant after his wife's death, Saajan is initially reluctant to interact with Shaikh and train him. After Shaikh reveals that he is an orphan who taught himself accounting, Saajan gradually warms up to him, and eventually the duo strike a close friendship. At one point, Saajan saves Shaikh's job by covering for his blatant mistakes and becomes the best man at his marriage with Mehrunissa (Shruti Bapna). Meanwhile, Ila discovers that Rajeev is having an extramarital affair and gives up hope of rekindling her marriage. In one of the lunchbox letters, she suggests moving to Bhutan where the cost of living is much cheaper than India. Saajan writes back with the suggestion that the two move there together. Ila then offers to meet in person at a popular restaurant but at the appointed time, Saajan does not show up. Upon receiving an empty lunchbox in disappointment the next day, Saajan writes back to the dejected Ila and apologises to her, stating that he did arrive and watched her from a distance, but could not approach her. He explains how young and beautiful she looked, while surmising that he is too old for her and advising her to move on.

Some time later, Ila's father, battling lung cancer, dies in the care of her mother (Lillete Dubey), who confesses how unhappy her marriage was. She gives Ila the advice “Sometimes, the wrong train takes us to the right station”. Ila receives the address of Saajan's office from the dabbawalas only to learn from Shaikh that he has already retired and headed to Nashik. She writes a farewell message to Saajan announcing that she has decided to leave Rajeev and move to Bhutan with her young daughter, Yashvi. Meanwhile, Saajan changes his mind en route to Nashik and returns to Mumbai. The film ends with Ila waiting for Yashvi to return from school and Saajan heading to her house with the dabbawalas who regularly picked up and delivered the eponymous lunchbox.

• Irrfan Khan as Saajan Fernandes
• Nimrat Kaur as Ila Singh
• Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Aslam Shaikh, Saajan's colleague
• Lillete Dubey as Ila's mother
• Nakul Vaid as Rajeev Singh, Ila's husband
• Bharati Achrekar as Mrs. Deshpande a.k.a. "Auntie", Ila's neighbour (voice only)
• Yashvi Puneet Nagar as Yashvi Singh, Ila & Rajeev's daughter
• Denzil Smith as Mr. Shroff, Saajan's office boss
• Shruti Bapna as Mehrunissa, Shaikh's wife

Ritesh Batra, who had made the short films The Morning Ritual, Gareeb Nawaz Ki Taxi and Cafe Regular, Cairo, started researching a documentary on the famous dabbawala Lunchbox delivery system of Mumbai which is known for its efficiency, however after spending a week with them in 2007, he heard many interesting personal stories the workers would overhear while waiting outside apartments. This experience birthed the idea for the film, and instead of making a documentary, he began writing a film script.{{cite news| title = Indian audience to get a taste of Batra's Lunchbox | url =https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/news-interviews/Indian-audience-to-get-a-taste-of-Batras-Lunchbox/articleshow/21817822.cms| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20130923100246/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-08-14/news-interviews/41409570_1_ritesh-batra-nimrat-kaur-the-lunchbox| url-status =live| archive-date =23 September 2013|date=14 August 2013| access-date = 16 September 2013| work = The Times of India}}{{cite news |title='Lunchbox' is a very personal film: Ritesh Batra|publisher=Zee News |date=5 May 2013|url=http://zeenews.india.com/entertainment/bollywood/lunchbox-is-a-very-personal-film-ritesh-batra_133696.html |access-date=27 May 2013}} In time the film became a joint production between Sikhya Entertainment, DAR motion pictures, National Film Development Corporation of India (NFDC), India, ROH Films, Germany, ASAP Films, France and the Cine Mosaic, a production company based in New York City and founded by Lydia Dean Pilcher who had previously produced films such as The Talented Mr Ripley (1999) and The Namesake (2007). Germany's Match Factory became its international sales agent.

Batra completed the first draft of the screenplay in 2011. He was assisted by Rutvik Oza.{{cite web|url=http://www.zeecineawards.com/nominations/|title=ZEE Cine Awards nominations|access-date=1 May 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402181606/http://www.zeecineawards.com/nominations/|archive-date=2 April 2015|url-status=dead}} It went on to win an Honorable Jury Mention at the 2012 Cinemart at the Rotterdam International Film Festival. Thereafter the project was part of the Talent Project Market of Berlin International Film Festival and was mentored at the screenwriter's lab (Torino Film Lab) at the Torino Film Festival.{{cite news |title=Cannes: 'The Lunchbox' Director Ritesh Batra|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/cannes-lunchbox-director-ritesh-batra-524943 |date=23 May 2013 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |access-date=27 May 2013 |first=Nyay |last=Bhushan}} The character of Ila played by Nimrat Kaur, six months prior to the shooting, and the character played by Nawazuddin Siddiqui was further developed and improvised during shooting.

Irrfan Khan liked the script of the film and the concept of his character, not speaking much but talking through notes. After seeing Batra's short film and having a couple of meetings he agreed to act in the film. Batra wanted to work with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, another principal character in the film, for a long time. For the female lead, auditions were conducted, wherein Nimrat Kaur was selected. Kaur had extensive experience at the Mumbai theatre and had worked in films like Peddlers. Some of the dabbawalas whom the director befriended while researching the film were also cast in minor roles.

The film was shot in 2012 in Mumbai at a budget of ₹220 million. Prior to the filming, the cast rehearsed for six months. It was shot using the Arri Alexa digital film camera. Many of the scenes were logistically broken down to make way for last minute location changes. According to Ritesh Batra, scenes on the train involved the use of only one compartment, and even included actual local commuters when needed.{{cite web|url=http://www.travelandleisure.com/blogs/qanda-with-ritesh-batra-director-of-the-film-the-lunchbox|title=Q&A With Ritesh Batra: Director of the Film 'The Lunchbox'|author=Aarti Virani|publisher=Travel + Leisure|access-date=August 6, 2015}}

Principal photography lasted 29 days, with a majority of the film's scenes done in three weeks. Afterwards, footage taken in a documentary manner were shot. Mumbai's famous dabbawalas were provided actual lunchboxes to deliver, and followed by a four-member film crew, which filmed the process in documentary style.{{cite web|url=http://www.quora.com/What-was-the-process-of-shooting-The-Lunchbox|title=What was the process of shooting The Lunchbox?|author=Ritesh Batra|publisher=Quora|date=January 23, 2014|access-date=August 6, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.theeagleonline.com/article/2014/01/qa-ritesh-batra-director-of-the-lunchbox|title=Q&A: Ritesh Batra, director of "The Lunchbox"|author=Helen Hu|publisher=The Eagle|date=January 27, 2014|access-date=August 6, 2015}}

The film was screened on 19 May 2013 as a part of the Critics' Week at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation and positive reviews.{{cite news |title=The Lunchbox gets standing ovation at Cannes TNN |url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-22/news-interviews/39444424_1_lunchbox-ritesh-batra-cannes|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921053514/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2013-05-22/news-interviews/39444424_1_lunchbox-ritesh-batra-cannes|url-status=dead|archive-date=21 September 2013|date=22 May 2013 |work=The Times of India |access-date=27 May 2013}}{{cite news |title=Cannes 2013: A delicious Lunchbox and a Shootout gone awry|author=Saibal Chatterjee|url=http://movies.ndtv.com/bollywood/cannes-2013-a-delicious-lunchbox-and-a-shootout-gone-awry-369555 |publisher=NDTV Movies |date=21 May 2013 |access-date=25 May 2013}}{{cite news |title=Ritesh Batra's Lunchbox wins critics week viewers choice award at Cannes|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/1838678/report-ritesh-batra-s-lunchbox-wins-critics-week-viewers-choice-award-at-cannes|website=DNA India |date=23 May 2013 |access-date=26 May 2013}} It won the Critics' Week Viewers Choice Award also known as Grand Rail d'Or.{{cite news |title='Lunchbox' wins critics week viewers choice award at Cannes |url=http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-05-23/news/39475679_1_wins-critics-ritesh-batra-cannes-film-festival |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130609045234/http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2013-05-23/news/39475679_1_wins-critics-ritesh-batra-cannes-film-festival |url-status=dead |archive-date=9 June 2013 |work=The Economic Times|date=23 May 2013 |access-date=25 May 2013}} Variety called it "a notable debut from tyro helmer-scripter Ritesh Batra", for creating a film with the "crossover appeal of Monsoon Wedding", and also praised the acting of Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur.{{cite news |title=Cannes Film Review: 'The Lunchbox' |url=https://variety.com/2013/film/reviews/cannes-film-review-the-lunchbox-1200483926/ |date=19 May 2013 |publisher=Variety |access-date=27 May 2013}}

Thereafter, Sony Pictures Classics picked up North American distribution rights.{{cite news |title= Ritesh Batra's feature debut appeared in Cannes Critics' Week |url=https://variety.com/2013/film/news/sony-pictures-classics-picks-up-lunchbox-exclusive-1200487504/|date=24 May 2013 |publisher=Variety|access-date=25 May 2013}}

In India, this film was released on more than 400 screens on 20 September 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Bollywood/Low-budget-Lunchbox-fares-well-at-box-office/Article1-1125884.aspx |title=Low budget Lunchbox fares well at box office |publisher=Hindustan Times |date=23 September 2013 |access-date=1 March 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130924160228/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Bollywood/Low-budget-Lunchbox-fares-well-at-box-office/Article1-1125884.aspx|archive-date=24 September 2013|url-status=dead}}{{cite journal| title = Eating Oscar for Lunch? |journal= Tehelka| url = http://www.tehelka.com/eating-oscar-for-lunch/|date=21 September 2013 |issue =38|volume =10| access-date = 25 September 2013}} In Japan, a Japanese dubbed version of the film was released on 9 August 2014, screening in a hundred theaters.{{cite news |title=めぐり逢わせのお弁当【Blu-ray】 |trans-title=The Lunchbox【Blu-ray】 |url=https://books.rakuten.co.jp/rb/13038874/ |access-date=10 March 2023 |work=Rakuten Books |publisher=Rakuten |date=18 March 2015 |language=ja}}

The Lunchbox grossed ₹71 million in its first weekend of release in India,{{cite web|url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/box-office/top5-hindi-movies/id/1002/date/2013-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130926042537/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/box-office/top5-hindi-movies/id/1002/date/2013-09-23 |url-status=dead |archive-date=26 September 2013 |title=Midweek: 'Phata Poster Nikola Hero' has ordinary weekend! |website=Bollywood Hungama|access-date=1 March 2014}} and ₹110 million in its first week.{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/boxdetail.php?page=shownews&articleid=6105&nCat=|title=Warning Dull Phat Poster Nikhla Hero Low First Week|publisher=Box Office India|date=28 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006072417/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/boxdetail.php?page=shownews&articleid=6105&nCat=|archive-date=6 October 2013}} The film continued to gross significant amounts over the next few weeks, earning over ₹200 million in the first three weeks and another estimated ₹40–50 lakhs on its fourth weekend.{{cite web|url=http://www.boxofficeindia.com/boxnewsdetail.php?page=shownews&articleid=6153&nCat=|title=The Lunchbox Does Well At The Box Office|publisher=Box Office India|date=15 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131018183818/http://www.boxofficeindia.com/boxnewsdetail.php?page=shownews&articleid=6153&nCat=|archive-date=18 October 2013}}

In the United States, The Lunchbox grossed $4.23 million, and was 2014's third highest grossing foreign film behind Cantinflas and P.K..{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=lunchbox.htm |title=The Lunchbox (2014)|website=Box Office Mojo|access-date=12 June 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=foreign.htm|title=Foreign Language Movies at the Box Office - Box Office Mojo|publisher=Box Office Mojo|access-date=August 7, 2015}} By 28 May 2014, the film's worldwide collection was {{INR|84.92 crore|link=yes}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.indiatoday.intoday.in/story/the-lunchbox-rakes-in-big-moolah-overseas/1/362388.html |title=The Lunchbox rakes in big moolah overseas |publisher=India Today}} The film's total worldwide gross for the original Hindi version was {{INR|100.85 crore}}{{cite news|title=The Lunchbox|url=https://www.boxofficeindia.com/movie.php?movieid=1516|work=Box Office India|access-date=12 February 2023}} ({{US$|17.24 million|long=no}}).{{cite web|title=Yearly Average Rates (58.5 INR per USD)|url=https://www.ofx.com/en-gb/forex-news/historical-exchange-rates/yearly-average-rates/|website=OFX|year=2013}} Most of its gross was from overseas with {{US$|11.71 million|long=no}} ({{INR|72.602 crore}}) for the Hindi version, becoming 2013's third highest-grossing Indian film overseas after Dhoom 3 and Chennai Express.{{cite web|title=Top Overseas Grossers|url=https://www.boxofficeindia.com/overseas-total-gross.php?year=2013|website=Box Office India|year=2013}} It was Irrfan Khan's highest-grossing Hindi film, up until it was surpassed by Hindi Medium (2017).{{cite news|title=Hindi Medium records higher box office opening than Dangal, Bajrangi Bhaijaan in China; Irrfan's highest grosser worldwide|url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/hindi-medium-records-higher-box-office-opening-than-dangal-bajrangi-bhaijaan-in-china-irrfans-highest-grosser-worldwide-4420391.html|access-date=6 April 2018|work=Firstpost}}

The Japanese dubbed version, released later in 2014, screened in a hundred theaters for ten weeks. The film grossed over {{Yen|150 million}} ({{US$|{{To USD|150|JPN|year=2014}} million|long=no}} or {{INR|{{#expr:1.42*(1000/{{To USD|1000|IND|year=2014}})/10 round 1}} crore}}) in Japan. Combined, the Hindi and Japanese versions grossed an estimated {{US$|{{#expr:11.71+1.42 round 1}} million|long=no}} ({{INR|{{#expr:72.602+8.7 round 1}} crore}}) overseas and {{INR|{{#expr:100.85+8.7 round 0}} crore}} ({{US$|{{#expr:17.24+1.42 round 0}} million}}) worldwide.

The Lunchbox received widespread critical acclaim from both critics and audiences. {{RT prose|{{RT data|score}}|{{RT data|average}}|{{RT data|count}}|Warm, affectionate, and sweet but not cloying, The Lunchbox is a clever crowd-pleaser from first-time director Ritesh Batra.|ref=yes|access-date=2024-02-26}} {{MC film|76|28|ref=yes|access-date=2024-02-26}}

Critic Rajeev Masand of CNN-IBN gave the film a rating of 5/5 stating, "The greatest love stories are the ones that make you root for the protagonists to come together, despite their destinies. This film illustrates how love transforms the unlikeliest of people."{{cite news |title='The Lunchbox' review: It'll leave you with a craving to seek your own little happiness |first=Rajeev |last=Masand |author-link= Rajeev Masand |date=20 September 2013 |work=CNN-IBN |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/the-lunchbox-review-itll-leave-you-with-a-craving-to-seek-your-own-little-happiness/423546-47-84.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130923011223/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/the-lunchbox-review-itll-leave-you-with-a-craving-to-seek-your-own-little-happiness/423546-47-84.html |archive-date=23 September 2013 |url-status=dead}} Pratim D. Gupta of The Telegraph gave The Lunchbox two thumbs up calling it "as much a moving and muted love story as it is an evocative portrayal of loneliness."{{cite news|last=Gupta|first=Pratim D.|title=The Lunchbox|url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130921/jsp/t2/story_17373582.jsp#.UnHoJBbMAUU|archive-url=https://archive.today/20131031054312/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1130921/jsp/t2/story_17373582.jsp%23.UnHoJBbMAUU|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 October 2013|work=The Telegraph|access-date=24 September 2013|location=Calcutta, India|date=24 September 2013}} Taran Adarsh of Bollywood Hungama gave the movie a 4/5 rating, stating "A well-told old-fashioned romance, The Lunchbox gracefully unknots the trials, tribulations, fears and hopes of everyday people sans the glamour that the city of Mumbai has become synonymous with."{{cite web |title=The Lunchbox|first1=Taran|last1=Adarsh|url=http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/moviemicro/criticreview/id/588497 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130820073418/http://www.bollywoodhungama.com/moviemicro/criticreview/id/588497 |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 August 2013 |date=20 September 2013|work=BollyHungama}} Karan Anshuman of Mumbai Mirror also gave the film a perfect 5/5 saying the film was, "one of the best films to come out of India in a long time."{{cite web |title=Film Review: The Lunchbox|first1=Karan|last1=Anshuman |url=http://www.mumbaimirror.com/entertainment/bollywood/Film-review-The-Lunchbox/articleshow/22808402.cms |date=20 September 2013|work=Mumbai Mirror }}

Raja Sen of Rediff.com also praised the film, giving it 5/5 and offering particular compliments to the director Ritesh Batra, stating "Batra, who has also written The Lunchbox, has allowed his smashing actors tremendous room to improvise, all the while himself sketching in nuanced details about the city, its food-ferriers, and the many disparities Mumbai is crammed with."{{cite web|last1=Sen|first1=Raja|title=Review: The Lunchbox is the best Indian film in years|url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/review/review-the-lunchbox-is-the-best-indian-film-in-years/20130920.htm|website=rediff movies|date=20 September 2013}} Filmmaker/critic Khalid Mohammed of the Deccan Chronicle said "What stays in the mind at the end of The Lunchbox is pretty much what stays in mind at the end of a memorable set by jazzmen – not their lapses but the heights they scale."{{cite web|title='The Lunchbox' Review: Here's sumptuous food for thought|first1=Khalid|last1=Mohammed|website=Deccan Chronicle |url=http://www.deccanchronicle.com/130920/entertainment-movie-reviews/article/lunchbox-review-here%E2%80%99s-sumptuous-food-thought |date=20 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130921091248/http://deccanchronicle.com/130920/entertainment-movie-reviews/article/lunchbox-review-here%E2%80%99s-sumptuous-food-thought|archive-date=21 September 2013|url-status=dead}} Aditya Grover of YouthTimes gave it 4 out of 5 stars and said, "The Lunchbox is delicious and delightful! If you're in the mood to witness genuinely moving cinema, you're in for a treat. The delectable taste of this lunchbox remains in your mouth much after you've left the theatre. Go for it!"{{cite web|last1=Grover|first1=Aditya|title=Movie Review: 'The Lunchbox' is delicious and delightful!|url=http://youthtimes.in/the-lunchbox-review/|website=Youth Times|access-date=22 September 2013|archive-date=25 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130925165415/http://youthtimes.in/the-lunchbox-review/|url-status=dead}} Suparna Sharma of The Asian Age gave it 4 out of 5 stars and said: "The Lunchbox is a gently pulsating sweet-sad story of loneliness and love, of wilting spirits finding water again. There are three women in three marriages in this film, of which two are ailing. The third one is over, almost, only the last rites haven't been performed. There are two men in the film – one who has lived a full life and is getting ready to quietly slip off the face of the earth; the other is eager to begin… What's both shocking and soothing is what the film shows us — that it takes very little for a soul to come back to life. Mostly, just a hint of hope will do."{{cite web |title=Cooked to perfection|first1=Suparna|last1=Sharma|website=The Asian Age|url=http://www.asianage.com/movie-reviews/cooked-perfection-843}}

Trisha Gupta in the Sunday Guardian wrote "The Lunchbox is a lovely little film. But it does tick all the boxes that might appeal to festival audiences: quaint Asian urbanism (Mumbai trains, dabba delivery), Indian home-cooking, romance. It provides local colour, without being demandingly untranslatable."{{cite web|url=http://www.sunday-guardian.com/artbeat/unpacking-the-lunchbox-layers-of-language-and-time |title=Unpacking The Lunchbox: Layers of language and time |publisher=Sunday-guardian.com |first1=Trisha|last1=Gupta|access-date=1 March 2014}} In a less positive review for the Chicago Reader, J. R. Jones criticized the film's premise as a gimmick and its purported use of an "irritating comic foil" in reference to Nawazuddin Siddiqui's and Bharati Achrekar's characters as Shaikh and Mrs. Deshpande, respectively.{{cite web|url=http://www.chicagoreader.com/chicago/the-lunchbox/Film?oid=12392478 |title=The Lunchbox|first1=J.R.|last1=Jones|date=6 March 2014|publisher=Chicago Reader |access-date=13 June 2015}}

The Lunchbox was considered by many people {{who?|date=April 2025}} to be a lock as India's selection for the 86th Academy Awards Best Foreign Film Category, with many critics enthusiastically praising it and voting for it to serve as India's nomination.{{cite web |title=Critics Want The Lunchbox For Oscars |url=http://www.rediff.com/movies/report/the-lunchbox-critics-choice-for-the-oscars/20130916.htm|first1=Subhash K|last1=Jha|website=rediff movies|date=3 September 2013}} Director Karan Johar also put his support behind the film saying "All kinds of audience can connect with it and yet within the parameters of love story it is completely unusual. You feel all the love in the world for the protagonists and the unusual aspect of it is they haven't met."{{cite web |title=Hope The Lunchbox wins an Oscar: Karan Johar|first1=Parmita|last1=Uniyal|url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Bollywood/Hope-The-Lunchbox-wins-an-Oscar-Karan-Johar/Article1-1123347.aspx|website=Hindustan Times|date=10 September 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130918033407/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Bollywood/Hope-The-Lunchbox-wins-an-Oscar-Karan-Johar/Article1-1123347.aspx|archive-date=18 September 2013|url-status=dead}}

However, the selection committee of the Film Federation of India (FFI) deliberated on 17 September 2013 and decided to send the Gujarati film The Good Road instead.{{cite web |title=India nominates The Good Road for Oscars in Best Foreign Film Category |url=http://news.biharprabha.com/2013/09/india-nominates-the-good-road-for-oscars-in-best-foreign-film-category/|website=Bihar Prabha |date=20 September 2013}} This decision sparked outrage from many supporters of The Lunchbox, including its cast and crew. The film's producer Anurag Kashyap quickly took to Twitter and expressed his disgust, saying "I don't know who the Federation is, but it goes to show the complete lack of understanding to make films that can travel across borders."{{cite web |title=Anurag Kashya Tweet |url=https://twitter.com/ankash1009/status/381369072216059904 |date=20 September 2013}}{{dead link|date=March 2016}}{{cbignore}} He later deleted both his Twitter and Facebook accounts, saying, "this is a moment of defeat for me, and for independent cinema, because, for once, our chances were great."{{cite web |url=http://old.tehelka.com/the-community-of-independent-filmmakers-in-india-is-essentially-crabs-in-a-basket/ |title=The Community Of Independent Filmmakers In India Is Essentially Crabs In A Basket |last=Kashyap |first=Anurag |author-link=Anurag Kashyap |date=26 September 2013 |website=Tehelka |access-date=30 August 2018}} Karan Johar also said he felt very disappointed that such a wonderful chance at Oscar glory with The Lunchbox was spoiled.{{cite web |title=Karan Johar Tweet |url=https://twitter.com/karanjohar/status/381371716934459393|date=20 September 2013|quote=Really shocked and disappointed ....#LUNCHBOX had every factor working in its favour...we may have just lost our golden chance....SAD!!!}} Guneet Monga, The Lunchbox{{'s}} other producer, said she was flabbergasted as to how the Federation could select a movie that didn't even have an American distributor, and also listed the number of global festivals and appreciation her film received, concluding that it sadly and supposedly "wasn't enough for the FFI".{{cite web |title=Gunnet Monga Tweet #1 | url=https://twitter.com/guneetm/status/381378921477853185 | date=20 September 2013|quote=Cannes, Telluride, Toronto, Sony was not enough for us the judge... I wish FFI success with their decision...!}}{{cite web |title=Guneet Monga Tweet #2 | url=https://twitter.com/guneetm/status/381369570973323264 | date=20 September 2013|quote=@ankash1009 how do they even nominate a film without an american distributor... !!!}}{{cite web |title= The Lunchbox Film review| url=http://www.cinemanewstoday.com/the-lunchbox-film-review/|author=cinebuzz| date=23 September 2013 | publisher =Cinema News Today}}

In an interview with Siddharth Sivakumar of Tinpahar, Goutam Ghose, the chairman of the committee blamed the decision on the media and a backlash based on the hurt pride of the selection committee, revealing:

{{Blockquote|Personally I liked The Lunch Box{{sic}}{{efn|The article in Tinpahar chose to print the name of the titular object in the film as two words, Lunch Box, throughout the article. Also, beyond the first mention, Ghose dropped the The from the title as he discussed the film, though this is simply shortening during a discussion, not a misspeaking of the title. To avoid clutter, {{sic}} has not been included at all seven mentions in this quote.}} very much. But eventually the eighteen member jury supported The Good Road. Now I can say that some people from Bombay felt that the basic premise of The Lunch Box was wrong. Because the Dabbawala never do such mistakes. Films are after all works of fiction, with the right to cinematic liberty! Although Lunch Box was my personal favourite, but as a chairman one should not impose his or her choice on others. And as you know this became suddenly a big controversy. And I think the media was again to some extent responsible for this decision. Because every day during the deliberation or the screenings, the media projected Lunch Box as the chosen one. It's my assumption, that the members probably thought, "My God! If the media has already taken the decision then why we are here?" It was a Chomskian 'manufacturing consent' – Lunch Box, Lunch Box, Lunch Box every day!! So the members, who are all very important people from the industry, had an opposite impulse. I don't know, but maybe that's the way it happened.{{cite web|url=http://tinpahar.com/article/416 |title=The Goutam Ghosh Interview|first1=Siddharth|last1=Sivakumar|publisher=Tinpahar |access-date=28 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512224420/http://tinpahar.com/article/416|archive-date=12 May 2014 |url-status=dead}}}}

Once it had been submitted to the Oscar selection committee, that committee did not nominate, nor shortlist, The Good Road; that year's Academy Award winner was Italy's The Great Beauty.

A musical adaptation based on the film is currently in development. It was commissioned by Lincoln Center Theater and will feature songs co-written by The Lazours.{{Cite web |title=“The Lazour Brothers: A Lifelong Collabrotion” (2024-08-23) |url=https://hermitageartistretreat.org/event/the-lazour-brothers-a-lifelong-collabroation/ |access-date=2025-06-09 |website=hermitageartistretreat.org |language=en-US}} Ritesh Batra is adapting his own script and co-writing lyrics.{{Cite web |title=The Lazours |url=https://americantheatrewing.org/recipients/the-lazours/ |access-date=2025-06-09 |website=The American Theatre Wing |language=en-US}}

In April 2025, it was announced that Rachel Chavkin would direct the world premiere of the musical at Berkeley Repertory Theatre, with an opening in May 2026.{{Cite web |last=Rabinowitz |first=Chloe |title=THE LUNCHBOX World Premiere and More Set for Berkeley Repertory Theatre 2025/26 Season |url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/san-francisco/article/THE-LUNCHBOX-World-Premiere-and-More-Set-for-Berkeley-Repertory-Theatre-202526-Season-20250423 |access-date=2025-06-09 |website=BroadwayWorld.com |language=en}}

==See also==

• Bollywood films of 2013
• Parallel Cinema

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• {{Official website|http://www.thelunchboxmovie.com/}}
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{{Ritesh Batra}}

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