Review: ‘The Lunchbox’ world premiere is a poignant pleasure at Berkeley Rep

Of the four compartments that make up a tiffin, the one that houses the roti is most critical.

That compartment shares the space with a daily note, one originally intended for Ila’s enigmatic husband. The note fell into the hands of record keeper Saajan, who lives for every correspondence and deliciousness from Ila’s humble kitchen and profound pen. What began as a mistake by the always reliable dabbawalas and their ability to deliver thousands of daily meals became a mistake laden with hope.

Both food and paper present two lonely souls with a renewed sense of purpose.

In Berkeley Repertory Theatre’s staggering world premiere musical “The Lunchbox,” based on Ritesh Batra’s enchanting 2013 film, the charms that radiate from the original source material are represented with a terrific cast set inside a world dominated by the overbearing sounds of Mumbai. Rachel Chavkin (“Hadestown”) stewards a dizzying world of visual and audible stimulation, with rich and traditional sounds contributed by The Lazours.

Ila (Kuhoo Verma) is a dutiful young wife and mother, waking up daily to prepare lunch for her emotionally distant husband Rajeev (Shiv Nadkarni) in hopes that a great meal may bring him closer to her. Ila’s recipes are fantastic, but when she asks for his thoughts on that day’s entree, he coldly praises the cauliflower she never sent.

The person who instead received this flavorful meal was Saajan (Manu Narayan), a lonely middle-aged widower and accountant rapidly approaching retirement. When the tiffin is returned licked clean, Ila sends another meal but with a note, leading to a rich correspondence between the two.

As time goes on, the stakes are raised and relationships forge ahead with much greater depth and daring. Saajan begins to mentor his potential replacement Mr. Shaikh (Aathaven Tharmarajah), a bumbling and eager employee lacking skills. Saajan covers for him on some hefty mistakes leading to immense gratitude and an invitation from Mr. Shaikh for Saajan to serve as the best man for his upcoming nuptials.

As Ila makes brutal discoveries about her marriage, she considers moving to Bhutan, a nearby country more economically viable for her and her daughter. When Saajan impulsively offers to join her, plans accelerate, leading to some of the most thrilling and heartbreaking moments the piece offers.

Where the story unfolds speaks volumes about how the musical is processed, despite some moments where numbers arrive too rapidly. Mimi Lien’s sky-high scenic design is an absolute wonder, with customary Indian iron gates, walls full of worn out posters of past Bollywood films, and housing filled with traditional Indian sounds coming from mridangams and tablas. Justin Stasiw’s soundscape wastes no time throwing the audience into Mumbai, where vehicles, whistles and rickshaws harshly yet thrillingly enter the ears.

The polished pipes belong to Verma, a flat out star with versatility for days. It is not just her ability to vocally transform any room she’s in, but the way she embodies the pain and anguish of Ila, yet still finding moments to be funny and charming. She leans heavily on yearning, never losing hope despite the painful pathway she occupies.

But why would such a beautiful and young girl spend one ounce engaging romantically with a stranger who could easily be her father? Narayan’s Saajan embodies a gentle soul, the antidote that Ila relies on. It is his fatherly instincts that lead him towards a devastating sacrifice. “No one is looking to buy yesterday’s lottery ticket,” he sagely notes to Ila.

There are so many delightful elements of the piece, including an ensemble that carves out exquisite texture through Reshma Gajjar’s lively and thrilling choreography. Tharmarajah provides a great balance of comic relief and utter poignance, explaining his survival techniques as an orphan, carving out a pragmatic path in life leading to a particular kind of soaring.

As Ila’s aunt, Mrs. Deshpande (Anisha Nagarajan) lives above her, always ready to offer a basket of ingredients on a humble pulley, so much foreshadowing exists as she takes care of her comatose husband who has been lying under a ceiling fan for years. Her hunger is palpable with a double meaning, a not-so-subtle reminder of the life Ila continues to shun as she awaits her own husband who has moved on with excruciating clarity.

The final moments of the play contain a rich, tear-inducing payoff, proving that the notes, along with Ila’s food, are equally important. In an age where email dominates, a paper and pen were the cure for two lonely souls famished from yearning.

David John Chávez is a former chair of the American Theatre Critics/Journalists Association, a 2020 O’Neill National Critics Institute fellow, and a two-time juror for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama (2022-’23). @davidjchavez.bsky.social

‘THE LUNCHBOX’

Based on the 2013 film by Ratesh Batra, presented by Berkeley Repertory Theatre

Through: July 5

Where: Berkeley Rep’s Roda Theatre, 2025 Addison St., Berkeley

Running time: 105 minutes, no intermission

Tickets: $31-$75; www.berkeleyrep.org