The Lunchbox

Saajan Fernandez, a Christian who works as an accountant in a government office, is about to retire from his job. He is very reserved: doesn't talk to people, doesn't socialize, lives a solitary life. His wife died a few years back, so he just drinks glasses of alcohol and watches TV; there's not even a single glimmer of happiness in him. Meanwhile, young Hindu homemaker Ila is in a bland relationship with her husband Rajeev, who doesn't even converse with her when she returns home after work. She decides to try to seek his attention and romance him by sending him very special, tasty food to spice up their relationship. She sends him a lunchbox every day through the intricate system of traditional food-delivery in Mumbai, which is taken care by the "Dabbawalas": people who send home-cooked food to people who work in offices so that their spouses don't have to worry about traveling to their spouses' work to hand over their lunches. These dabbawalas virtually never mess up by giving a lunchbox to the wrong person; it always goes to the right person. One day, the lunch Ila prepared for Rajeev mistakenly goes to Saajan's desk. Ila eventually realizes her mistake through her husband,d who when he returned said that he ate something else, and through the dabbawala who said the address to which it went, and she knew that that wasn't the right address, also scolding him a bit. The very next day, she tells her elderly neighbor about the incident. After taking advice from her neighbor, Ila sends a letter to Saajan, talking about the mix-up along with the lunchbox which contains her husband's favorite meal, and instructs the dabbawala to send the lunchbox to the same address as the day before. Saajan again receives the box, reads the letter, and tries to only taste the food but it's so good that he ends up eating all of it. He writes back to her saying that the food was simply delicious and Ila loves it and this kicks off their innocent conversations through letters. At work, Saajan is introduced to Shaikh, a Muslim new to the office who is set to replace Saajan as the accountant. Saajan is tasked to train him before he leaves the job completely. Shaikh's incompetence initially annoys Saajan, who tries to distance himself from him and lies when Shaikh asks him about his daily life. But the two gradually strike a close friendship; Saajan covers up Shaikh's mistakes at work, saving his job; he even serves as best man at Shaikh's wedding. Meanwhile, Ila finds out that Rajeev is cheating on her. She doesn't fume up, but she loses hope for her marriage. In her next lunchbox letter to Saajan, she suggests moving to Bhutan, where the cost of living is way lower than in India. In the next letter, she asks Saajan to meet her in person at a popular local restaurant somewhere in the city before she leaves for Bhutan. Saajan agrees but is unable to reach the place at the right time, leaving Ila waiting and waiting before she gives up and leaves the restaurant. The following day, Saajan receives an empty lunchbox, which makes him write back to Ila. He apologizes but says that he did turn up and saw her from a distance; he just couldn't gather the courage to approach her. He expresses that she looked young and very beautiful but tells her that he is too old for her and advises her to carry on with her life. A few days later, Ila's father loses his battle with lung cancer. Ila sees her mother grieving, but later her mother actually confesses to her that their marriage had not been so happy. Ila starts searching for Saajan but learns from Shaikh that he has already retired and is headed to Nashik. Ila writes a farewell message to Saajan, stating that she has decided to leave her husband and move to Bhutan with her young daughter. When Saajan sees this, he changes his mind en route to Nashik, returns to Mumbai, and goes in search of Ila. Ila is last seen waiting for her daughter to return home from school as Saajan gets help from the same dabbawala who regularly picked and delivered that very--lunchbox.