Context Analysis

Context Analysis

This film (The Lunchbox) is based on the lunchbox delivery service in India, where the (dabbawallahs) delivers approximately 350,000 home cooked lunches to middle class office workers each day. This service was launched in 1954 by Dhondiba Medge, who was the first chairman of the Tiffin Box Suppliers Charity Trust of Mumbai. 

In an interview with the Business of Cinema, the director Ritesh Batra of the Lunchbox film stated that the orginal intent was to produce a documentary on the dabbawallahs back in 2007. However, after spending time with several of the dabbawallahs, and studying their work, Batra decided to make the storyline more interesting with a film instead of a documentary. According studies conducted at the Harvard University, the lunchbox delivery system never makes a mistake; the lunchbox is always delivered to the right person. On the contrary, this film portrays such mistake, when one lunchbox is delivered to the wrong person which turns out to be a love that blossoms between Ila and Saajan.

As the film continues to unfolds, a relationship brews between Ila and Saajan through the sharing of letters, until they decide to meet face to face. On the contrary, in a traditional Indian home, the wife may not want to risk going against the marriage to find love somewhere else. The lunchbox depicts how women today, express their bravery in search for what they want; in this film it is shown through the search of romance. Women in today’s society believe in what they want and will seek to find it.