Hindi
The Lunchbox bags Star Box Office India award
MUMBAI: Described as a defining film in Indian cinema, The Lunchbox which has won numerous domestic and international accolades in its slight over a year’s run at the box office won yet another award. It was recently conferred the Film with the Best Return on Investment award at the Star Box Office India 2014 awards. DAR Motion Pictures producer Vivek Rangachari and Guneet Monga from Sikhya Entertainment were present on the occasion to receive the award.
The film is a story about 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 through notes in the lunchbox. Gradually, this fantasy threatens to overwhelm their reality. The film is an example of global collaboration with studios from India, USA, France and Germany coming together to produce a film that strikes a chord with global audiences. One of the top-rated film by critics in India this year, it was distributed in the US by Sony Classic Pictures.
Commenting on the award Rangachari said “When the script of The Lunchbox came to me, I was sure this movie will do great but the kind of response we have got from India as well as globally is way beyond all expectations. DAR is really happy to be a part of the project which has created a new path for Indian cinema nationally and globally.”
Written and directed by Ritesh Batra, the film has released globally in various countries like UK, USA, New Zealand, France, Germany, Australia, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Brazil, China, Columbia, Malaysia, Italy, Israel, Hungary, Hong Kong, Japan, Poland, Middle East, Singapore amongst others. Furthermore, it has been showcased in various film festivals including The Cannes Film Festival, The Telluride Film Festival, The Toronto Film Festival, The London Film Festival, etc. winning various awards like Viewers Choice Award at the International Critics’ Week, Best Film at The London Film Festival and The Filmfare awards, to name a few.
Produced by Arun Rangachari of Dar Motion Pictures (India) and Guneet Monga and Anurag Kashyap of Sikhya Entertainment (India), The Lunchbox has been co-produced by Vivek Rangachari, Nina Lath Gupta of NFDC (India), Karan Johar (Dharma Productions), UTV Motion Pictures, Shanaab Alam, Sunil John, Nittin Keni, Karsten Stöter and Benny Drechsel of Rohfilm (Germany), Cedomir Kolar and Marc Baschet of ASAP Films (France), Danis Tanovic and executive produced by Lydia Dean Pilcher of CineMosaic, Irrfan and Ritesh Batra.
Hindi
ZEE5, Applause announce new film Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa
Rajat Kapoor’s dark comedy thriller to stream on ZEE5 from April 10
MUMBAI: ZEE5 and Applause Entertainment have announced their next direct-to-digital collaboration, Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa, a darkly comic whodunnit set to stream from April 10.
Produced in association with Mithya Talkies and written and directed by Rajat Kapoor, the film marks the latest addition to a growing slate of genre-diverse titles from the two partners. Their previous collaborations include dramas, psychological thrillers and dark comedies, with this outing leaning into a layered murder mystery.
The film features an ensemble cast including Vinay Pathak, Ranvir Shorey, Waluscha De Sousa and Saurabh Shukla, among others. The narrative promises a mix of satire, strained relationships and hidden tensions, inviting viewers to look beyond the crime to the dynamics that lead up to it.
ZEE5 business head hindi and chief channel officer Andtv Kaveri Das said, “Our collaboration with Applause Entertainment has been instrumental in building a strong slate with titles such as Bloody Brothers, Mithya and Jab Khuli Kitaab. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa is a natural progression, aligning with our focus on genre-led content that resonates with audiences.”
Applause Entertainment business head movies Sunil Chainani said, “This collaboration with ZEE5 continues to stand out for its diversity of genres and narrative styles. Everybody Loves Sohrab Handa adds a sharp, darkly comic whodunnit to that mix, driven by Rajat Kapoor’s distinct voice.”
Sharing his creative approach, Rajat Kapoor said he was drawn to the emotional layers behind the genre. “I was interested not just in the mechanics of a whodunnit, but the emotional violence that precedes physical violence. These are people who appear close, yet carry unspoken tensions that eventually surface.”
The partnership between ZEE5 and Applause continues to build on a shared focus on distinctive storytelling, with each project exploring a different tone and genre.
With its mix of humour, tension and ensemble storytelling, the film aims to offer more than just a mystery. It promises a closer look at the secrets people keep, and the consequences when they finally come to light.
