Ritesh Batra's epistolary romance, 'The Lunchbox, ' completed 10 years. Best known for the memorable performances of Irrfan Khan and Nimrat Kaur, the movie almost didn't make it to the theatres. Co-producer of the film, Guneet Monga, recently revealed how short on money they were before the movie premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.
In an interview at the ongoing Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), the Oscar-winning filmmaker said, "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."
She added, "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."
Karan Johar of Dharma Productions recalled how Guneet approached him to co-produce the film. He said, "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?'"
He added that her relentlessness made him watch the film, and he instantly agreed to come on board as a co-producer. He also said that Guneet is the "only woman" who has persuaded him like that.
Guneet and Karan were at TIFF for the world premiere of their new co-production, the action thriller 'Kill.'
