The LunchBox : Its Delicious

#TheLunchBox : A reticent ,boring , on the verge of getting retired middle aged man (ok almost an old man!) living his life amidst piles of files, an ordinary young housewife spending her day in getting the kid ready for school , preparing lunch for her ever busy husband , desperately waiting for her moment of recognition, in fact  probably  a moment of acceptance of her existence  , a companionship that develops between them courtesy hand written letters  and  a wrongly delivered lunchbox , a claustrophobic city that is eternally busy and  bursting at its seam . Does it sound like a bollywood flick? Hand it over to the brilliance of Ritesh Batra in keeping it so simple yet heart wrenching and the outstanding acting of three main protagonists for bringing out the loneliness in an overcrowded world so convincingly.

LunchBox is as much about loneliness, longing, nostalgia even at times repentance as it is about the contrast. In an age of instant connectivity it celebrates the idea of companionship through letters delivered via lunchbox. Whereas on one hand we hear how the aunty  taking care of his bed ridden husband for fifteen years, on the other hand we watch Ila’s marital relationship going haywire. Ila’s mother takes care of her husband for so many years in spite of her hatred, but feels empty, relieved and hungry the day he dies.  

                                               

Batra’s characters are enchanting and have an old world flavor. Irfaan is outstanding as a taciturn Sajan Fernandes. Watch out for the scene where Nawaz asks him “What he does in the evening “. His expressions speak louder than his words. How effectively he depicts the pathos of a man who is ageing fast through immaculate body language is a treat to watch. Debutant Nimrit Kaur is absolutely natural and so beautifully fits into the role and makes Ila’s world her own. Nawazuddin Siddique, what more can I write about a man, who so effortlessly slips into every character. As an effervescent Aslam he makes you laugh every time he comes on screen. The city of Mumbai is a powerful protagonist and holds the screen play together. The director intelligently uses the voice of Bharti Achrekar as an old Aunty, who spices up the plot in spite of not coming in front of the camera even once.

Batra makes rich use of the visual imagery be it the moving ceiling fan , to draw parallel to a life which is moving fast , or the Mumbai crowded local and Sajaan’s forlorn looks to sketch the pangs of loneliness amidst a sea of crowd.

The Lunchbox’s high point lies in its ability to tread in the realm of reality and its open ended ending. No it is not an extravagant seven course meal in a star restaurant but a delicious spread that will remind you of home cooked food prepared with much care and served with Love. Don’t miss this sumptuous and hearty meal whose mouthwatering aroma will stir your soul.

I will go out with 4 out of 5 .

Shuddh Desi Romance : I do or Do I ?

  India has changed and changed rapidly in last two decades and along with it has changed the contour of relationship and the concept of romance. Move on “52% conservative Indians” , for the “Young at Heart” a kiss is no longer a stamp of commitment , “Live In” is the in thing, virginity is an over exaggerated virtue and multiple relationship is a reality. While it relishes the confusion of romance, attraction and infatuation, it is the responsibility of marriage/commitment that acts as a repugnant for many.

Set in the beautiful pink city of Jaipur , Maneesh Sharma’s Shuddh Desi Romance starts on a breezy note exploring the predicament of a runaway groom.  Raghu’s ( Sushant Singh Rajput)indecisiveness and jittery for marriage and impulsive falling in love is so typical of our “instant make out” generation. The first half of the movie is a delight to watch and so refreshingly different. It steers clear from the conventional portrayal of romance (so often stereotypically shown in Indian Cinema) and instead magnificently captures the real romance where lust is as vital as love. Raghu and Gayatri’s ( Parineeti Chopra) romance (!) that started with an awkward first kiss in a moving bus and blossomed into full bloom at her rented terrace room, where Raghu also moved in , sets the screen on fire. Their impishness, chemistry and uninhibited performance, quirkiness in the relationship keeps you entertained. They talk and behave as any twenty something will do and their lies the charm of desi romance. As long as they decide to live the moment, they sizzle together. The moment Raghu tries to peep into the Gayatri’s past and contemplates about future, a sense of insecurity grips their bond. And voila! We get our runaway bride too, as we get up for the “Bathroom Break” with much anticipation for the second half.

                                                    

It is the second half, where the screen play starts faltering with innumerable repetition, abysmally slow pace and unnecessary melodramatic scenes which will force you to yawn. Sharma uses the “Bathroom” scene so much that, you will have an urge to relieve yourself than unnecessarily following a screen play that is moving nowhere. All of a sudden you wonder if it is the same movie. The characters which were behaving quite naturally suddenly start being overdramatic. The film’s fall comes, where in a high intensity scene Raghu is expressing his confusion and as an audience you tend to laugh.

As far as the characters are concerned, Parineeti and Sushant with their uninhibited performance that reflects their vulnerability in the first half, keep you engrossed. Wish Suashant had not gone over the top post interval. Rishi Kapoor, with each release is coming across as vintage wine and probably is establishing himself as one of the finest character actors. Newcomer Vaani exudes enough confidence in her first venture as Taara , who faces life head on and doesn’t hesitate to go after what she wants. A special mention of the Set, Gayatri’s rented room and lanes of Jaipur , which looks so real.

Shuddha Desi Romance dares a real take on the modern day romance, with all its impurities, without sermonizing. You may like the “Instant Love” and “Instinctive Live-in” or hate it (sour grapes), but ladies and gentleman, society has moved on and you can’t ignore it. If the director and editor had not lost their deft touch in the second half, this could have been a magnificent rom-com.

 I will go out with 2.5 on 5 for a movie that brings out the reality of romance and confusion of commitment.