'Lunchbox' team overwhelmed as the film won nomination at the BAFTA awards

Over a year after its release, The Lunchbox has now won itself a nomination at the prestigious Bafta awards in the ‘Best Film, Not In English’ category.

Irrfan Khan who not only played the widower-hero in the film, but also co-produced it, says, “The triumph is a reminder that stories from India can engage and entertain a universal audience.”

Meanwhile, actress Nimrat Kaur adds, “The film is a Pandora’s box with unending surprises. What surprises even more is the people’s ceaseless love for it.

It feels very special to be nominated alongside such amazing films as Ida, Leviathan, Trash and Two Days One Night.”

And writer and director Ritesh Batra feels that the film’s derailment at the Oscars has now taken a delightful diversion. “I didn’t know it’d be loved so much.

Everyone involved with the film thought our film would take the road to the Oscars. That’s why everyone was so vocally disappointed when we were not selected.”

The director also worked against all odds to make the film. “The film’s budget was very small. And only 50 per cent of the money came from India. The rest we had to generate from outside India.

There was also a German and a French producer. So the money that was raised had to be used in those countries. That is the rule. We did the sound in Germany and we did the colours in France.

Such collaboration brings a lot to the table. Every producer adopted the film. There was no creative confusion.”

Interestingly, The Lunchbox was born out of Batra’s love for cooking and his love for... love. “I love to cook. This film was born out of my love for food. I cook in my kitchen at least once a week though I rate myself very low as a cook.”