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Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all North American rights to Indian film The Lunchbox (Dabba), winner of the Grand Rail d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival 2013 Critics’ Week.
In the film, written and directed by Ritesh Batra, a mistaken delivery in Mumbai’s famously efficient lunchbox delivery system connects a young housewife to a stranger in the dusk of his life. They build a fantasy world together by leaving notes in a lunchbox, but their fantasy gradually threatens to overwhelm reality.
The Lunchbox stars Irrfan Khan (Life of Pi), Nimrat Kaur and Nakul Vaid.
“The Lunchbox is one of those enchanting movies that will have audiences and critics floating on air. We are so happy to be bringing this movie to the American public. This movie represents the birth of a major international filmmaker,” Sony Pictures Classics co-presidents Michael Barker and Tom Bernard said in a statement.
Added Batra: “The film is a delicate story with lots of humour and pathos, and Sony Classics is a good home for our film and a great team.”
The Indian-French-German co-production was produced by Gunneet Monga and Anurag Kashyap of Sikhya Entertainment and Arun Rangachari of Dar Motion Pictures. Co-producers are Nina Lath Gupta, Shanaab Alam, Vivek Rangachari, Sunil John, Nittin Keni, Karsten Stöter, Benny Drechsel, Cedomir Kolar, Marc Baschet and Danis Tanovic. Lydia Dean Pilcher, Khan and Batra are executive producers.
CANNES Q&A: ‘The Lunchbox’ Director Ritesh Batra
”I am excited to associate with Sony Classics. This bolsters my belief in good films and encourages the new wave of Indian Cinema. Hopefully, this landmark relationship will only mark as one of many more collaborations in the near future. Being associated with Sony Classics for the first Indian-French-German co-production truly marks this as a celebration of International Cinema from India,” Monga siad.
The deal was negotiated by Michael Weber of The Match Factory.
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