The Lunchbox
When an introverted South Asian boy is made fun of for his food in school, he makes it his mission to try and fit in, much to the shock of his mother, who wants to celebrate a Hindu Festival with her son.
Project
The Lunchbox
The Story
A short film about a young Indian kid who gets teased in school for his traditional Indian packed lunches. This pushes him to detach himself from his culture. At the same time, his mum wishes to celebrate an Indian festival with her son. Touching on themes of identity and coming of age, the film focuses on a relationship between an immigrant mother and son.
Director's Statement
As a British Asian writer and director, my work focuses on the intersections between queerness and the South Asian immigrant experience. Centring my stories around young people, I used my lived experiences to focus on empathetic storytelling and bringing more personal stories to film.
Based on a true experience I had when I was in year two, The Lunchbox is an extension of my reality. It's the story of a young Indian kid who wants nothing more than to be accepted by his friends at school. It takes this seed of inspiration and sees how the characters adapt to their circumstances, one of a son who doesn't want anything to do with his culture, and one of a mother who wants to connect with her son. These opposing philosophies are what drew me in and how they connect with their identity and their immigrant experiences.
I hope with my work to tackle these themes, of the South Asian Immigrant experience in Britain, of cultural identity and generational divides. I believe there is power in showing authentic lives on screen. With my films, I want to show what a middle-class generational family looks like, what South Asian events look like in the UK, and how that baggage is carried through lineages, into the modern world.
In telling a story as personal and human as this one, your support will help us bring to life a world, life and characters that I hope South Asian kids can see themselves in.
The Crew
Shubh Gaharwar - Writer & Director
Shubh Gaharwar is a British Asian writer and director. Currently studying Filmmaking at Met Film School in London, his work focuses on the intersections between queerness and the South Asian immigrant experience. Centring his stories around young people, Shubh uses his lived experiences between these two worlds to focus on empathetic storytelling and the struggles his generation face.
Jolynn Tng - Co-Producer
Jolynn is a Singaporean producer with experience in both commercial and narrative film. Currently in her final year of film school and with two years of professional experience, she excels at balancing creative vision with project feasibility. Passionate about stories with familial and cultural themes, Jolynn is excited to collaborate with Shubh to bring this project to life.
George Petrou - Co-Producer
George Petrou is a talented Greek-Norwegian filmmaker studying in London. He has earned recognition for his distinctive voice and creative vision in various productions, including award-winning short films. George's work explores themes of identity, belonging, and the human experience, drawing from his diverse heritage. He aims to create impactful stories that resonate globally.
Josh Downing - Director of Photography
Josh is a British cinematographer with four years of experience under his belt. His work showcases that the beauty of cinema lies in its authenticity. He finds pleasure in making films as visually grounded as they can be whilst still catering to the storytelling world of the script. He draws inspiration from enhanced realism and hence finds artists who practise these aspects of cinema very inspirational.
Bahar Tavakoli - Editor
Specialising as an editor with an Iranian background, Bahar invests her skills and passions into artistic and independent cinema. Having worked with Shubh on previous projects, Shubh and Bahar have established a close relation that will ensure the authenticity of how the narrative unfolds. Bahar is honoured and excited to be a part of this crew and give life to this authentic and personal, yet universally relatable subject that The Lunchbox immerses its audience into.
Budget Breakdown
Festival Run
We're aiming to give The Lunchbox a world premiere at an international film festival. With our eyes set for multiple independent festivals, both regional and global, we hope to showcase an authentic story for a large audience through the film festival circuit.
Thank You!
Thank you so much for taking the time to read and help support our film. We hope you'll join us and help make our vision come to life!