Irrfan Khan, Nimrat Kaur and Nawazuddin Siddiqui starrer ‘The Lunchbox’ completed 13 years today on September 20.

Reacting to the special occasion, Nawazuddin Siddiqui spoke to NDTV about his character Aslam Sheikh and what drew him to the role.

He said, “I had never played a character like Aslam Sheikh before. He had returned from Dubai and had a very Mumbaikar quality to him. He was very practical and someone who knew how to live life on his own terms. He didn’t take any baggage. Even when he faced hardships in his life, he brought it to life and that was the best quality for me. Aslam Sheikh wanted me to play him.”

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Directed by Ritesh Batra, the 2013 film has been one of the most popular Indian films of its time and has been widely recognized for its simple yet poignant story of human relationships.

The film stars Irrfan Khan as Sajan Fernandez, a lonely widower nearing retirement, while Nimrat Kaur plays Ila, a housewife whose lunch box accidentally reaches Sajan and an unexpected correspondence begins between the two. Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays Sheikh, a young fellow who forms an unlikely relationship with Saajan.

lunchbox It became a major international success, premiering at the Cannes Film Festival’s Critics’ Week in 2013 and receiving numerous awards and nominations.

The film also marked one of the memorable performances of Irrfan Khan, whose character Saajan is remembered by the audience.