Non Verbal/ Technical Elements Analysis

The use of non-verbal communication is probably one of the most critical highlights of the film, especially with Saajan.  Many shots are taken of him having lunch and his varying expressions, from the first time he received the mistaken lunchbox to even when it came empty one day, charms the audience without any form of dialogue. We are immersed in how he savors every bit of food, how he looks at the food,  and we can tell what he is thinking without him having to say a word.

We get so used to his stony-faced demeanor that it was a pleasant surprise to see him developing smiles, subtle at first, during the course of the film. This technique assisted in getting in tune with the character's emotions and feelings. His posture, facial expressions and glaring eye contact emanate a superior and aloof yet lonely personality. The first we see of his softer personality was when he opens the lunchbox for the first time and it continued to dominate him during the course of the film.

As it relates to Ila, we are left to fend on our own and wonder about why her husband is neglecting her. Of course, infidelity is an option but it may also have been the pressures of work. There are several scenes where she is washing his clothes and keeps smelling them, as she is uncertain as to the reason for his neglect as well. However, the one memorable scene where she smelled his clothes over and over because she got a different scent, confirms what both we the audience and Ila fear.

In this film, the absence of words  from the characters speak as much and as loudly as dialogue. It excels in communicating non-verbally to the audience.

The most intriguing form of non-verbal communication and of most significance throughout the film came in the form of written letters. Like the characters, the content of the letters developed as the film progressed. From a simple one-liner to heart-felt pouring of emotions between the two main characters, the letters give them time to feel, to react to each other, to change and to grow. They  also invoke a range of emotions between the characters which are quite visible from their expressions while reading. In addition, the letters have captured the curiosity and anxiety of both the audience and the characters as we all wait with abated breaths to 'hear' the letters' contents.