The Lunchbox (2014)
| Theatrical Performance | ||
| Domestic Box Office | $4,231,500 | Details |
| International Box Office | $11,286,386 | |
| Worldwide Box Office | $15,517,886 | |
| Domestic Physical Disc Sales | ||
| Blu-ray Sales (estimated) | $513,056 | |
| Total | $513,056 | |
| Further financial details... | ||
Synopsis
Middle class housewife Ila is trying once again to add some spice to her marriage, this time through her cooking. She desperately hopes that this new recipe will finally arouse some kind of reaction from her neglectful husband. She prepares a special lunchbox to be delivered to him at work, but, unbeknownst to her, it is mistakenly delivered to another office worker, Saajan, a lonely man on the verge of retirement. Curious about the lack of reaction from her husband, Ila puts a little note in the following day’s lunchbox, in the hopes of getting to the bottom of the mystery. This begins a series of lunchbox notes between Saajan and Ila, and the mere comfort of communicating with a stranger anonymously soon evolves into an unexpected friendship. Gradually, their notes become little confessions about their loneliness, memories, regrets, fears, and even small joys. They each discover a new sense of self and find an anchor to hold on to in the big city of Mumbai that so often crushes hopes and dreams. Still strangers physically, Ila and Saajan become lost in a virtual relationship that could jeopardize both their realities.
Metrics
| Opening Weekend: | $44,542 (1.1% of total gross) |
| Legs: | 12.10 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 27.3% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Production Budget: | $1,700,000 (worldwide box office is 9.1 times production budget) |
| Theater counts: | 3 opening theaters/165 max. theaters, 8.6 weeks average run per theater |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $6,194,455 |
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | February 28th, 2014 (Limited) by Sony Pictures Classics |
| International Releases: | June 13th, 2014 (Wide) (Bulgaria)
July 3rd, 2014 (Wide) (Argentina) July 10th, 2014 (Wide) (Australia) |
| Video Release: | July 1st, 2014 by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment |
| MPA Rating: | PG for thematic material and smoking. (Rating bulletin 2303, 12/24/2013) |
| Running Time: | 104 minutes |
| Plot point: | Food, Relationships Gone Wrong, Romance, Widow/Widower |
| Subgenre: | Romantic Drama |
| Source: | Original Screenplay |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Contemporary Fiction |
| Production/Financing Companies: | Rohfilm, Cine Mosaic, ASAP Films, Sikhya Entertainment, DAR Motion Pictures, NFDC |
| Production Countries: | India, Germany, France |
| Languages: | Hindi, English |
Weekend Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 28, 2014 | 49 | $44,542 | 3 | $14,847 | $44,542 | 1 | |
| Mar 7, 2014 | 35 | $114,779 | +158% | 13 | $8,829 | $178,619 | 2 |
| Mar 14, 2014 | 40 | $88,921 | -23% | 18 | $4,940 | $306,347 | 3 |
| Mar 21, 2014 | 27 | $183,986 | +107% | 36 | $5,111 | $525,363 | 4 |
| Mar 28, 2014 | 20 | $287,430 | +56% | 73 | $3,937 | $885,451 | 5 |
| Apr 4, 2014 | 17 | $342,001 | +19% | 103 | $3,320 | $1,352,143 | 6 |
| Apr 11, 2014 | 21 | $283,903 | -17% | 129 | $2,201 | $1,735,911 | 7 |
| Apr 18, 2014 | 20 | $349,663 | +23% | 158 | $2,213 | $2,220,609 | 8 |
| Apr 25, 2014 | 21 | $322,434 | -8% | 165 | $1,954 | $2,696,329 | 9 |
| May 2, 2014 | 21 | $262,841 | -18% | 149 | $1,764 | $3,081,447 | 10 |
| May 9, 2014 | 26 | $244,104 | -7% | 153 | $1,595 | $3,428,469 | 11 |
| May 16, 2014 | 28 | $162,421 | -33% | 130 | $1,249 | $3,681,953 | 12 |
| May 23, 2014 | 34 | $96,501 | -41% | 68 | $1,419 | $3,778,454 | 13 |
| May 30, 2014 | 35 | $55,420 | -43% | 54 | $1,026 | $3,972,118 | 14 |
| Jun 6, 2014 | 41 | $41,352 | -25% | 46 | $899 | $4,041,380 | 15 |
| Jun 13, 2014 | 46 | $30,640 | -26% | 26 | $1,178 | $4,094,681 | 16 |
| Jun 20, 2014 | 50 | $22,144 | -28% | 26 | $852 | $4,135,626 | 17 |
| Jun 27, 2014 | 66 | $12,339 | -44% | 16 | $771 | $4,161,441 | 18 |
| Jul 4, 2014 | 65 | $7,949 | -36% | 5 | $1,590 | $4,178,281 | 19 |
| Jul 11, 2014 | 74 | $4,647 | -42% | 10 | $465 | $4,185,817 | 20 |
| Jul 18, 2014 | 74 | $4,766 | +3% | 6 | $794 | $4,193,344 | 21 |
| Jul 25, 2014 | 68 | $7,313 | +53% | 8 | $914 | $4,202,632 | 22 |
| Aug 1, 2014 | 84 | $2,706 | -63% | 4 | $677 | $4,207,841 | 23 |
| Aug 8, 2014 | 85 | $3,205 | +18% | 5 | $641 | $4,212,458 | 24 |
| Aug 15, 2014 | 86 | $2,317 | -28% | 5 | $463 | $4,215,920 | 25 |
| Aug 22, 2014 | 81 | $1,830 | -21% | 4 | $458 | $4,218,688 | 26 |
| Aug 29, 2014 | 79 | $3,596 | +97% | 4 | $899 | $4,223,838 | 27 |
| Sep 5, 2014 | 91 | $2,281 | -37% | 3 | $760 | $4,226,661 | 28 |
| Sep 12, 2014 | 78 | $3,450 | +51% | 4 | $863 | $4,231,500 | 29 |
| Oct 10, 2014 | 102 | $341 | 1 | $341 | $754,527 | 33 | |
| Oct 17, 2014 | 102 | $370 | +9% | 1 | $370 | $757,451 | 34 |
| Oct 24, 2014 | 113 | $160 | -57% | 1 | $160 | $762,032 | 35 |
Weekly Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 28, 2014 | 48 | $63,840 | 3 | $21,280 | $63,840 | 1 | |
| Mar 7, 2014 | 37 | $153,586 | +141% | 13 | $11,814 | $217,426 | 2 |
| Mar 14, 2014 | 39 | $123,951 | -19% | 18 | $6,886 | $341,377 | 3 |
| Mar 21, 2014 | 27 | $256,644 | +107% | 36 | $7,129 | $598,021 | 4 |
| Apr 11, 2014 | 21 | $418,938 | 129 | $3,248 | $1,870,946 | 7 | |
| Apr 18, 2014 | 19 | $502,949 | +20% | 158 | $3,183 | $2,373,895 | 8 |
| Apr 25, 2014 | 20 | $444,711 | -12% | 165 | $2,695 | $2,818,606 | 9 |
| May 2, 2014 | 21 | $365,759 | -18% | 149 | $2,455 | $3,184,365 | 10 |
| May 9, 2014 | 26 | $335,167 | -8% | 153 | $2,191 | $3,519,532 | 11 |
| May 23, 2014 | 25 | $234,745 | 68 | $3,452 | $3,916,698 | 13 | |
| May 30, 2014 | 38 | $83,330 | -65% | 54 | $1,543 | $4,000,028 | 14 |
| Jun 6, 2014 | 42 | $64,013 | -23% | 46 | $1,392 | $4,064,041 | 15 |
| Jun 13, 2014 | 45 | $49,441 | -23% | 26 | $1,902 | $4,113,482 | 16 |
| Jun 20, 2014 | 45 | $35,620 | -28% | 26 | $1,370 | $4,149,102 | 17 |
| Jun 27, 2014 | 64 | $21,230 | -40% | 16 | $1,327 | $4,170,332 | 18 |
| Jul 4, 2014 | 69 | $10,838 | -49% | 5 | $2,168 | $4,181,170 | 19 |
| Jul 11, 2014 | 70 | $7,408 | -32% | 10 | $741 | $4,188,578 | 20 |
| Jul 18, 2014 | 80 | $6,741 | -9% | 6 | $1,124 | $4,195,319 | 21 |
| Jul 25, 2014 | 73 | $9,816 | +46% | 8 | $1,227 | $4,205,135 | 22 |
| Aug 1, 2014 | 86 | $4,118 | -58% | 4 | $1,030 | $4,209,253 | 23 |
| Aug 8, 2014 | 79 | $4,350 | +6% | 5 | $870 | $4,213,603 | 24 |
| Aug 15, 2014 | 76 | $3,255 | -25% | 5 | $651 | $4,216,858 | 25 |
| Aug 22, 2014 | 77 | $3,384 | +4% | 4 | $846 | $4,220,242 | 26 |
| Aug 29, 2014 | 84 | $4,138 | +22% | 4 | $1,035 | $4,224,380 | 27 |
| Sep 5, 2014 | 80 | $3,670 | -11% | 3 | $1,223 | $4,228,050 | 28 |
| Oct 3, 2014 | 110 | $580 | 1 | $580 | $754,186 | 32 | |
| Oct 10, 2014 | 86 | $2,895 | +399% | 1 | $2,895 | $757,081 | 33 |
| Oct 17, 2014 | 112 | $406 | -86% | 1 | $406 | $761,872 | 34 |
| Oct 24, 2014 | 116 | $160 | -61% | 1 | $160 | $763,654 | 35 |
Full financial estimates for this film, including domestic and international box office, video sales, video rentals, TV and ancillary revenue are available through our research services. For more information, please contact us at research@the-numbers.com.
Synopsis
Middle class housewife Ila is trying once again to add some spice to her marriage, this time through her cooking. She desperately hopes that this new recipe will finally arouse some kind of reaction from her neglectful husband. She prepares a special lunchbox to be delivered to him at work, but, unbeknownst to her, it is mistakenly delivered to another office worker, Saajan, a lonely man on the verge of retirement. Curious about the lack of reaction from her husband, Ila puts a little note in the following day’s lunchbox, in the hopes of getting to the bottom of the mystery. This begins a series of lunchbox notes between Saajan and Ila, and the mere comfort of communicating with a stranger anonymously soon evolves into an unexpected friendship. Gradually, their notes become little confessions about their loneliness, memories, regrets, fears, and even small joys. They each discover a new sense of self and find an anchor to hold on to in the big city of Mumbai that so often crushes hopes and dreams. Still strangers physically, Ila and Saajan become lost in a virtual relationship that could jeopardize both their realities.
Metrics
| Opening Weekend: | $44,542 (1.1% of total gross) |
| Legs: | 12.10 (domestic box office/biggest weekend) |
| Domestic Share: | 27.3% (domestic box office/worldwide) |
| Production Budget: | $1,700,000 (worldwide box office is 9.1 times production budget) |
| Theater counts: | 3 opening theaters/165 max. theaters, 8.6 weeks average run per theater |
| Infl. Adj. Dom. BO | $6,194,455 |
Movie Details
| Domestic Releases: | February 28th, 2014 (Limited) by Sony Pictures Classics |
| International Releases: | June 13th, 2014 (Wide) (Bulgaria)
July 3rd, 2014 (Wide) (Argentina) July 10th, 2014 (Wide) (Australia) |
| Video Release: | July 1st, 2014 by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment |
| MPA Rating: | PG for thematic material and smoking. (Rating bulletin 2303, 12/24/2013) |
| Running Time: | 104 minutes |
| Plot point: | Food, Relationships Gone Wrong, Romance, Widow/Widower |
| Subgenre: | Romantic Drama |
| Source: | Original Screenplay |
| Genre: | Drama |
| Production Method: | Live Action |
| Creative Type: | Contemporary Fiction |
| Production/Financing Companies: | Rohfilm, Cine Mosaic, ASAP Films, Sikhya Entertainment, DAR Motion Pictures, NFDC |
| Production Countries: | India, Germany, France |
| Languages: | Hindi, English |
Weekend Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 28, 2014 | 49 | $44,542 | 3 | $14,847 | $44,542 | 1 | |
| Mar 7, 2014 | 35 | $114,779 | +158% | 13 | $8,829 | $178,619 | 2 |
| Mar 14, 2014 | 40 | $88,921 | -23% | 18 | $4,940 | $306,347 | 3 |
| Mar 21, 2014 | 27 | $183,986 | +107% | 36 | $5,111 | $525,363 | 4 |
| Mar 28, 2014 | 20 | $287,430 | +56% | 73 | $3,937 | $885,451 | 5 |
| Apr 4, 2014 | 17 | $342,001 | +19% | 103 | $3,320 | $1,352,143 | 6 |
| Apr 11, 2014 | 21 | $283,903 | -17% | 129 | $2,201 | $1,735,911 | 7 |
| Apr 18, 2014 | 20 | $349,663 | +23% | 158 | $2,213 | $2,220,609 | 8 |
| Apr 25, 2014 | 21 | $322,434 | -8% | 165 | $1,954 | $2,696,329 | 9 |
| May 2, 2014 | 21 | $262,841 | -18% | 149 | $1,764 | $3,081,447 | 10 |
| May 9, 2014 | 26 | $244,104 | -7% | 153 | $1,595 | $3,428,469 | 11 |
| May 16, 2014 | 28 | $162,421 | -33% | 130 | $1,249 | $3,681,953 | 12 |
| May 23, 2014 | 34 | $96,501 | -41% | 68 | $1,419 | $3,778,454 | 13 |
| May 30, 2014 | 35 | $55,420 | -43% | 54 | $1,026 | $3,972,118 | 14 |
| Jun 6, 2014 | 41 | $41,352 | -25% | 46 | $899 | $4,041,380 | 15 |
| Jun 13, 2014 | 46 | $30,640 | -26% | 26 | $1,178 | $4,094,681 | 16 |
| Jun 20, 2014 | 50 | $22,144 | -28% | 26 | $852 | $4,135,626 | 17 |
| Jun 27, 2014 | 66 | $12,339 | -44% | 16 | $771 | $4,161,441 | 18 |
| Jul 4, 2014 | 65 | $7,949 | -36% | 5 | $1,590 | $4,178,281 | 19 |
| Jul 11, 2014 | 74 | $4,647 | -42% | 10 | $465 | $4,185,817 | 20 |
| Jul 18, 2014 | 74 | $4,766 | +3% | 6 | $794 | $4,193,344 | 21 |
| Jul 25, 2014 | 68 | $7,313 | +53% | 8 | $914 | $4,202,632 | 22 |
| Aug 1, 2014 | 84 | $2,706 | -63% | 4 | $677 | $4,207,841 | 23 |
| Aug 8, 2014 | 85 | $3,205 | +18% | 5 | $641 | $4,212,458 | 24 |
| Aug 15, 2014 | 86 | $2,317 | -28% | 5 | $463 | $4,215,920 | 25 |
| Aug 22, 2014 | 81 | $1,830 | -21% | 4 | $458 | $4,218,688 | 26 |
| Aug 29, 2014 | 79 | $3,596 | +97% | 4 | $899 | $4,223,838 | 27 |
| Sep 5, 2014 | 91 | $2,281 | -37% | 3 | $760 | $4,226,661 | 28 |
| Sep 12, 2014 | 78 | $3,450 | +51% | 4 | $863 | $4,231,500 | 29 |
| Oct 10, 2014 | 102 | $341 | 1 | $341 | $754,527 | 33 | |
| Oct 17, 2014 | 102 | $370 | +9% | 1 | $370 | $757,451 | 34 |
| Oct 24, 2014 | 113 | $160 | -57% | 1 | $160 | $762,032 | 35 |
Weekly Box Office Performance
| Date | Rank | Gross | % Change | Theaters | Per Theater | Total Gross | Week |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 28, 2014 | 48 | $63,840 | 3 | $21,280 | $63,840 | 1 | |
| Mar 7, 2014 | 37 | $153,586 | +141% | 13 | $11,814 | $217,426 | 2 |
| Mar 14, 2014 | 39 | $123,951 | -19% | 18 | $6,886 | $341,377 | 3 |
| Mar 21, 2014 | 27 | $256,644 | +107% | 36 | $7,129 | $598,021 | 4 |
| Apr 11, 2014 | 21 | $418,938 | 129 | $3,248 | $1,870,946 | 7 | |
| Apr 18, 2014 | 19 | $502,949 | +20% | 158 | $3,183 | $2,373,895 | 8 |
| Apr 25, 2014 | 20 | $444,711 | -12% | 165 | $2,695 | $2,818,606 | 9 |
| May 2, 2014 | 21 | $365,759 | -18% | 149 | $2,455 | $3,184,365 | 10 |
| May 9, 2014 | 26 | $335,167 | -8% | 153 | $2,191 | $3,519,532 | 11 |
| May 23, 2014 | 25 | $234,745 | 68 | $3,452 | $3,916,698 | 13 | |
| May 30, 2014 | 38 | $83,330 | -65% | 54 | $1,543 | $4,000,028 | 14 |
| Jun 6, 2014 | 42 | $64,013 | -23% | 46 | $1,392 | $4,064,041 | 15 |
| Jun 13, 2014 | 45 | $49,441 | -23% | 26 | $1,902 | $4,113,482 | 16 |
| Jun 20, 2014 | 45 | $35,620 | -28% | 26 | $1,370 | $4,149,102 | 17 |
| Jun 27, 2014 | 64 | $21,230 | -40% | 16 | $1,327 | $4,170,332 | 18 |
| Jul 4, 2014 | 69 | $10,838 | -49% | 5 | $2,168 | $4,181,170 | 19 |
| Jul 11, 2014 | 70 | $7,408 | -32% | 10 | $741 | $4,188,578 | 20 |
| Jul 18, 2014 | 80 | $6,741 | -9% | 6 | $1,124 | $4,195,319 | 21 |
| Jul 25, 2014 | 73 | $9,816 | +46% | 8 | $1,227 | $4,205,135 | 22 |
| Aug 1, 2014 | 86 | $4,118 | -58% | 4 | $1,030 | $4,209,253 | 23 |
| Aug 8, 2014 | 79 | $4,350 | +6% | 5 | $870 | $4,213,603 | 24 |
| Aug 15, 2014 | 76 | $3,255 | -25% | 5 | $651 | $4,216,858 | 25 |
| Aug 22, 2014 | 77 | $3,384 | +4% | 4 | $846 | $4,220,242 | 26 |
| Aug 29, 2014 | 84 | $4,138 | +22% | 4 | $1,035 | $4,224,380 | 27 |
| Sep 5, 2014 | 80 | $3,670 | -11% | 3 | $1,223 | $4,228,050 | 28 |
| Oct 3, 2014 | 110 | $580 | 1 | $580 | $754,186 | 32 | |
| Oct 10, 2014 | 86 | $2,895 | +399% | 1 | $2,895 | $757,081 | 33 |
| Oct 17, 2014 | 112 | $406 | -86% | 1 | $406 | $761,872 | 34 |
| Oct 24, 2014 | 116 | $160 | -61% | 1 | $160 | $763,654 | 35 |
Full financial estimates for this film, including domestic and international box office, video sales, video rentals, TV and ancillary revenue are available through our research services. For more information, please contact us at research@the-numbers.com.