Nimrat Kaur and Ritesh Batra take Lunchbox to Zurich

One of the most acclaimed films in recent times The Lunchbox releases this weekend in Zurich, a unique event indeed for a Hindi film. Connecting from Zurich the film’s ferociously feted leading lady Nimrat Kaur said, “It’s freezing over here. But Zurich is gorgeous. We’re promoting the film here for a weekend release.” Apparently the Swiss media and movie population are agog about this unconventional love story between two bereft souls in Mumbai who never meet. “It’s amazing over here,” exults Nimrat. “After The Lunchbox releases here in Zurich this week we are off to Berlin to promote the film there. We’ll be in Germany for a week. Then we proceed to France to promote the film in French cities for a week.” Speaking on the film’s amazing journey director Ritesh Batra said, “The love for the film has been very overwhelming beyond anything I expected. All the love that the film got outside India would not have meant anything if it didn’t succeed at home. I think it worked in India because it’s a sincere attempt to look at Mumbai and its people.” The Lunchbox was made with French and German collaboration, hence the wide release in Europe. Says Ritesh, “Only 50 percent of the money came from India. The rest we had to generate from outside India. There was also a German and a French producer. So that money which was raised from France and Germany had to be used in those countries. That is the rule. We did the sound n Germany. We also had a German music composer. And we did the colours in France.”