Guneet Monga on initial struggle to get The Lunchbox released: ‘Didn’t have money to book Irrfan Khan’s room at Cannes’

It’s 10 years of The Lunchbox. While we now bear in mind Ritesh Batra’s epistolary romance for its tenderness, and the memorable performances of Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur, the movie could have by no means reached us, had it not been for co-producer Guneet Monga. At the continued Toronto International Film Festival, the Oscar-winning filmmaker revealed how quick on cash they had been earlier than the movie’s premiere at Cannes Film Festival. (Also Read: Nimrat Kaur interview on starring in Apple TV’s Foundation Season 2: I owe my worldwide journey to The Lunchbox)

Guneet’s new revelation

“We very sincerely made The Lunchbox, raised money in France, through private investors in India. It was a joint production between France, Germany, and India. We put together thoda thoda paisa (money little by little) from around the world, and it’s going to Cannes (Film Festival). I was very excited. We were ready to give this film for somebody to cover our Cannes cost. We were just like, paise nahi hain Cannes jane ke liye (we didn’t have the money to go to Cannes). Even to book Irrfan sir’s room, we were freaking out. Our sales agent had another big film and that actress refused to show up. That suite got free and that’s how we got him his room,” Guneet mentioned at TIFF, the place she’s current for the world premiere of her new co-production, motion thriller Kill.

Karan recollects approaching board for The Lunchbox

Karan, whose Dharma Productions is co-producing Kill with Guneet’s Sikhya Entertainment, recalled at TIFF how Guneet first approached him to co-produce The Lunchbox. “I was grabbing dinner (at Cannes Film Festival that year). And this very sprightly, young, dynamic girl approached me and said she produced Anurag Kashyap’s chapter Murabba in our anthology Bombay Talkies. I had heard of her through Anurag. She said, ‘Forget that, that’s not what I’m here for. I produced this beautiful film called The Lunchbox that’s being globally loved. I really want you to see it. And the first thing in my head was, ‘Lunchbox?’”

Karan added that Guneet’s relentlessness made him watch The Lunchbox and he immediately agreed to return on board as a co-producer. He additionally mentioned that Guneet is “the only woman” who has persuaded him like that.