Directed by Ritesh Batra
Produced by Anurag Kashyap
Guneet Monga
Arun Rangachari
Written by Ritesh Batra
Starring Irrfan Khan
Nimrat Kaur
Nawazuddin Siddiqui
Music by Max Richter
Cinematography Michael Simmonds
Editing by John F. Lyons
Studio Sikhya Entertainment
Release date(s)
May 19, 2013 (Cannes Film Festival)
September 20, 2013 (India)
Running time 104 min
Country India
Language Hindi
Budget $1.5 million
Dabba (English title: The Lunchbox) is an Indian Hindi film written and directed by Ritesh Batra, and produced by Guneet Monga and Anurag Kashyap, amongst others, starring Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui. The film was jointly produced by Sikhya Entertainment, DAR motion pictures, NFDC, India, ROH Films, Germany, ASAP Films, France and the Cine Mosaic, US. The directorial debut film was screened at International Critics' Week at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, and later won the Critics Week Viewers Choice Award also known as Grand Rail d'Or. It is scheduled to be shown at the 2013 Toronto International Film Festival.The film is set to be released in India, U.S., and U.K. on September 20, 2013.
Casting:
Irrfan Khan liked the script and the concept of his character of not speaking much rather talking through notes, and after seeing Batra's short film, a couple of meetings he agreed to act in the film. Batra wanted to work with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, another principal character of the film, for a long time. For the female lead, auditions were conducted, wherein Nimrat Kaur was selected. Kaur had extensive experience at the Mumbai theatre and worked in films like Peddlers.
Release:
The film was screened on May 19, 2013 as a part of the International Critics' Week at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, where it received a standing ovation and positive reviews. and won the Critics Week Viewers Choice Award also known as Grand Rail d'Or. Variety called it "a notable debut from tyro helmer-scripter", for creating a film with "crossover appeal of Monsoon Wedding", and also praised acting of Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur.