The Lunchbox
The Lunchbox Controversy is a topic about which debate is still going on and on. Lunch Box starring Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur hit the theatres on May 19th 2013 and the film managed to win hearts and also got the cash registers ringing at the box-office. The movie is about Saajan Fernandez and Ila and their sweet, simple yet beautiful love story.
One who is not aware of the controversy surrounding the film, may wonder what it is all about. Lunchbox was one of the chosen films as a probable entry for the Oscars, the 86th Academy Awards. The producers, director, actors and each one who had seen the movie was hoping that it would be India’s official entry for the same and the issue cropped up when the Film Federation Of India (FFI) chose Gyan Correa’s ‘The Good Road’ as the official entry for the Best Foreign Film in the Oscars.’The Good Road’ has already won a National Award for the best Gujarati film.
Thus the controversy began when the Lunchbox makers were rather displeased with this decision taken by the FFI and vented out their displeasure at different social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook. From Karan Johar, Anurag Kashyap, Guneet Monga, to the movies director Ritesh Batra, all expressed their disappointment over the issue. Anurag Kashyap even deactivated his twitter account showing a mark of displeasure directly or indirectly.
very very sad…. i have lost faith in continuing doing the films we do if this is what the film federation does!!
— Guneet Monga (@guneetm) September 21, 2013
Really shocked and dissapointed….#LUNCHBOX had every factor working in its favour…we may have just lost our golden chance….SAD!!!
— Karan Johar (@karanjohar) September 21, 2013
@RajeevMasand #heartbroken we could have gone the distance we were told by our US distributors, by the hollywood press…
— riteshbatra (@riteshbatra) September 21, 2013
Congrats to The Good Road, hope it makes it all the way, else it will be a lost chance by FFI apptd jury that lacks vision. Hope I am wrong.
— riteshbatra (@riteshbatra) September 21, 2013
So head of the jury #gautamghose thought #LUNCHBOX should have been Indias official entry….but the REST of the jury didn't!!! Hmmmm…..
— Karan Johar (@karanjohar) September 25, 2013
Whatever happens is for the best, and what doesn't, for the better. Difficult to understand this decision,but easier to accept it this way.
— Nimrat Kaur (@nimratkaur13) September 21, 2013
Many other known and unknown moviegoers too have praised and cheered for The Lunchbox. Celebrities from Amitabh Bachchan to Murali Karthik to normal people all are praising the film as a whole and also there are mixed views -
T 1163 -And have to mention that saw 'The Lunch Box' and it is quite the film to be seen by the connoisseurs of sensitivity ..!!
— Amitabh Bachchan (@SrBachchan) September 21, 2013
LUNCHBOX, What a beautiful movie, only 9 actors and beautifully crafted storyline, irrfan khan u beauty
— Kartik Murali (@kartikmurali) October 3, 2013
Thank You for Lunch Box Sir @ankash1009 I know you are the most important title of all those more than enough credit names.Thank UU
— swanand kirkire (@swanandkirkire) September 20, 2013
#LUNCHBOX .. its the most surprising gentle warm love story I have seen in a while. Don't miss it
— Shekhar Kapur (@shekharkapur) September 20, 2013
Our film juries need training…so sad. Such a big opportunity lost for winning the oscars..@irrfan_k @karanjohar
— priya gupta (@priyaguptatimes) September 21, 2013
Saw The Lunchbox this afternoon. Go and see it if you haven't yet. Excellent film.
— Tavleen Singh (@tavleen_singh) September 26, 2013
'The Lunchbox' is beautiful! Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur are phenomenal. Nawazuddin Siddique is briliant as usual. Must watch!
— Osama Motiwala (@osamamotiwala) October 1, 2013
Some letters have wrong addresses. Some letters have wrong letterheads. #LunchBox&TheGoodRoad
— Anubhav Sinha (@anubhavsinha) September 30, 2013
Ok, one last tweet – If only FFI had seen Lunchbox carefully, they would have at least learnt how to writer letters 
#metakabaap
— blahblahblah (@CilemaSnob) September 30, 2013
I clapped and cried like a little kid. Don't miss #THELUNCHBOX
@irrfan_k @ankash1009 @karanjohar
— Abhishek Joshi (@amjoshi1704) September 20, 2013
Thanks to ALL for embracing " the lunch box" with open hands n warm heart! The film has just started its journey from our country.
— IrrfanK (@irrfan_k) September 20, 2013
Super Steady Box office…widespread acclaim and love….sleeper success of the year with a wide awake new age audience…#LUNCHBOX it is!!!
— Karan Johar (@karanjohar) September 26, 2013
How I loved this line! RT @nihalparashar: "We forget things if we have no one to tell them to."
- #TheLunchBox #LunchBox
— Sonal Kapoor (@ArtForCause) September 26, 2013
#Lunchbox is a gem.. Such a simple film which makes u smile all the way.. Go watch it now!!
— Saqib Saleem (@Saqibsaleem) September 21, 2013
Lunchbox.. a good film.. bt dsnt mean dat other films r bad….
— Smita Bansal (@BansalSmita_) September 27, 2013
Very puzzling! If national award is the criteria, then why not select the film that won best film overall?That still would make SOME sense.
— Deepti D (@deemelinda) September 21, 2013
Haven't watched The Good Road so it's unfair to knock it, but I'm heartbroken that The Lunchbox wasn't picked as India's Oscar entry.
— Rajeev Masand (@RajeevMasand) September 21, 2013
Indeed! RT @Vasan_Bala Gyan Correa Congratulations ! the thing to say now is Good Luck and God Bless. No pressure – The Good Road
— Rajeev Masand (@RajeevMasand) September 21, 2013
Was pleasantly surprised to see a really old character actor in LUNCHBOX for a brief moment sitting by the window on the train.
— Bejoy Nambiar (@nambiarbejoy) October 3, 2013
Filmmaker Goutam Ghose who heads the Film Federation of India committee expressed his opinion to a media house that he would have chosen ‘The Lunchbox’ for Oscars but alas the jury consisted of another 15 other members.
With so many views pouring in the FFI wrote to the director of ‘Lunch Box’ demanding for a ‘unconditional apology’ for his ‘reckless comments’ on social networking sites. While the letter was out in the open, the director Ritesh Batra asked for transparency in the whole process of choosing a film for the Oscars.
As a writer of the article I would like to say that I have been that unfortunate movie buff who is yet to receive the golden opportunity to watch both the splendid feature films we are talking about. Hence, commenting on which movie would be a better watch and a better catch for the 86th Academy Awards would not be prudent from my side. But definitely, would say that transparency in the process of Oscar selections or rather a jury team known to the public domain would be more helpful in these situations and the choice can be made fairly weighing all pros and cons and for cinema lovers, I would like to say both the films seem to be ‘Nice’ so do try and watch it at a theatre near you.
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Author: Surya Ravi
Editor: A. Patel
The post The Lunchbox Controversy – Unfolding! appeared first on Fuzion Productions.