SPECIAL DELIVERY

A charming Bollywood-inspired
musical serves up romance, music,
and a feast for the eyes

The cast of the world premiere musical, The Lunchbox

From its first moments, Berkeley Rep’s new musical The Lunchbox wins you over. The vibrant, multi-level, expansive, beautifully detailed set by Mimi Lien depicts a bustling working-class neighborhood in Mumbai, while a colorful ensemble emerges mixing and mingling from every direction as the overture begins. The women are decked out in bright pastel kurtis; the men sport drab tan, white, and gray uniforms. What unfolds is a pleasant and easy-to-follow story that never lets up on its charm. When I say that this delightful surprise has it all, I feel like I’m describing a new and fun Disney feature film.

Yash Ramanujam, Kinshuk Sen, Benjamin Mathew, Savidu Geevaratne, and Vishal Vaidya

With a book and co-lyrics by Ritesh Batra and music and co-lyrics by The Lazours, The Lunchbox is based on the acclaimed 2013 film of the same name. We are first introduced to Ilia (Kuhoo Verma), who lives in a flat with her husband Rajeev (Shiv Nadkarni) and their young daughter Yashvi (Caryna Desai Shah, who alternates with Shaarada Trayi Karthik). Ilia’s aunt, known simply as Auntee (Anisha Nagarajan), lives directly upstairs. Because of the close and cramped living conditions, Ilia and Auntee mostly communicate by shouting up and down from their respective balconies. Rajeev leaves the house early each morning for his office job downtown.

Kuhoo Verma

Benjamin Mathew, Savidu Geevaratne, and Vishal Vaidya

Every weekday, Ilia spends considerable time preparing a carefully made lunch for her husband. As is customary in Mumbai, the food is packed into a tiffin box—a stacked metal lunch container. It is then picked up by the city’s dabbawallahs, the delivery workers responsible for transporting thousands of lunches throughout Mumbai by bicycle and motor scooter. At day’s end, the tiffins are returned to their original homes.

Kuhoo Verma and Manu Narayan

Kuhoo Verma

One afternoon, Ilia’s tiffin is returned with a note thanking her for the delicious meal. Puzzled, she wonders who could have written it. The answer is Fernandes (Manu Narayan), a widower nearing retirement after more than three decades in an accounting office. A curmudgeon by nature, Fernandes keeps mostly to himself and has little patience for his eager young replacement, Shaikh (Aathaven Tharmarajah), who has been assigned to learn the job before Fernandes leaves.

Manu Narayan and Savidu Geevaratne

The cast

The note is the result of a rare mistake by Mumbai’s famously efficient delivery service. Ilia’s lunch has accidentally landed on Fernandes’s desk, and despite complaints, the mix-up continues. What begins as a simple exchange of notes about food gradually develops into something far more meaningful. Through their correspondence, Ilia confides her frustrations with a loveless marriage, while Fernandes reveals his lingering grief over the loss of his wife. As the letters continue, an unexpected emotional bond forms between two lonely people who have never met.

Kuhoo Verma and Caryna Desai Shah

The Lazours have created beautiful songs that illuminate both the spoken and unspoken feelings developing between Fernandes and Ilia. The score blends folk influences, Indian musical traditions, and energetic ensemble pieces that capture the hubbub of a busy workday. More intimate melodies accompany the two leads as they begin to recognize the emotional connection forming between them. Music Director Sheela Ramesh and Music Supervisor Nathan Koci help shape a score that is both inviting and emotionally resonant.

Anisha Nagarajan, Kuhoo Verma, and Caryna Desai Shah

Whether focused on the two leads or the full ensemble, the production fully embraces its Bollywood roots. The large musical numbers are lively, colorful, and expertly staged. Reshma Gajjar‘s choreography keeps the cast in near-constant motion as workers hurry through the streets, ride buses, and go about their daily routines while singing and dancing. Meanwhile, the exchange of letters between Ilia and Fernandes unfolds at a deliberate pace, allowing their relationship to deepen naturally.

Kuhoo Verma and Manu Narayan

Yet despite its leisurely pace, this one-act musical never feels overlong. As the correspondence between Ilia and Fernandes grows more personal, their story becomes increasingly involving, leading to a satisfying final twist. Under Rachel Chavkin‘s assured direction, and supported by the work of Arjun Bhasin (costume design), Bradley King (lighting design), Justin Stasiw (sound design), Charles G. LaPointe (wigs and hair design), and Sheela Ramesh (music direction), the production achieves the scope and polish of a much larger musical. The result is a charming, visually impressive, and thoroughly entertaining evening. It’s one of the best shows I’ve seen at Berkeley Rep in quite some time. Bay Area theatergoers should make a point of seeing it.

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦

photos by Kevin Berne

The Lunchbox
Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Roda Theatre, 2025 Addison St in Berkeley
1 hour 45 minutes, no intermission
ends on July 5, 2026 EXTENDED to July 12, 2026
for tickets, call 510.647.2949 or visit Berkeley Rep

✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦ ✦