Cast and characterization:
Nimrat Kaur as Ila and Imran Khan as Saajan Fernandes made a make-believe performance! The sorrow-filled eyes that speak volumes of stories and memories of Ila are stunning. Her thought-processes are as mere as any middle-class woman who is in search of happiness in her little world. Nimrat Kaur’s acting was very natural and makes us believe that she isn’t really acting though. In fact, the whole movie, makes you feel like you are reading a book or listening to some story..so smooth and intense at the same time. Saajan Fernandes, on the other hand, is a grumpy old man, who is about to retire. His longing for a company and inexpressive-eyes, reminds us of Carl Fredrickson from the Disney movie, Up. His way of living life was simple and easy. He believes in life that has no much to worry about. Just him, his work and memories of his dead wife. Then come, Nawazuddin Siddique as his assistant named Shaikh. His over-friendliness irritates our old man but he makes him forget that he is alone.
Story and Concept:
The story begins with daily visuals of dabbawalas in Mumbai. It then takes us to Il’s daily routine of making and packing lunch for her husband. She takes the help of her neighbour in making different recipes as this way she can get her husband’s attention. She then sends the lunchbox through dabbawalla which reaches our Saajan Fernandes. He thinks the lunch was from his routine lunch guy and just enjoys his lunch. After a couple of days, he finds out through a chit in the lunchbox that the lunch was from Ila. After they get to know each other through their everyday exchanges of short letters, they decide to meet, but at the last moment, Saajan changes his mind. They again write to each other about their plans after Saajan’s retirement. Saajan plans to leave to Nashik but then comes back. The movie ends with the narration of Ila saying she might leave to Bhutan because her daughter was taught that it is a place where people are just happy and nothing else.
The fact that they exchange their feelings and unheard emotions through their small chits in a dabba, is the most romantic thing, without any cringe. The narration takes us to a place where even we think, what is actually are we doing in our lives, running behind someone, who doesn’t care for us? Trying to take the pain day in and day out? Just living a life where no one really thinks of you? The movie gives us an insight in the lives who are really alone in their lives. We might think that we are alone in a few instances, but most of the time, it’s our choice to not choose another person’s company. The movie is all about love and the real meaning of partnership, in this busiest world. And I liked the way the movie portrays this with subtle expressions and amazing narration.
Screenplay and Cinematography:
The movie has an authentic backdrop of typical Mumbai. The cinematographer Michael Simmonds picturised the typical scenes and everyday life of Mumbai in a very natural yet professional manner. The screenplay of the movie is very simple. The story goes in a linear manner, where we can see what is happening and what is developing in each of their lives. It can be boring to few who are not into basic love stories. But overall, the movie could hold the audience until the end. The use of the camera in local trains of Mumbai was apt to the scenes.
Music and sound design:
The songs used are moderately good and are used in the background of a few intense scenes. The background score of the movie was also very natural and makes us feel like we have actually lived it at least once.
