Saif Ali Khan, Vidya Balan to star in ‘The Lunchbox’ director’s next film ‘Long Years Ago’

Bollywood actors Saif Ali Khan and Vidya Balan will star alongside French actress Mélanie Laurent in The Lunchbox helmer Ritesh Batra’s upcoming comedy-drama Long Years Ago, which has gone on floors in Mumbai.

Set in 1991, the film “is the story of a family that has gone too long without saying the things that matter, and what happens when they’re finally forced to find the words”.

“I am tremendously honored to be working with Saif, Vidya and Melanie, and to see these great actors bring characters that are so close to my heart to life,” Batra told Deadline.

Khan said he connected immediately with the film’s themes of love, family and unspoken emotions. “Ritesh has an extraordinary gift for telling deeply personal stories that resonate across cultures. Long Years Ago is a film about love, family, and the things we often struggle to say to one another, and I felt an immediate connection to it. Collaborating with Melanie, Vidya, and this exceptional team is exciting, and I can’t wait for audiences around the world to experience this deeply moving story,” he said.

Balan welcomed the opportunity to reunite with Khan after their 2005 film Parineeta, her debut.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to be a part of Ritesh Batra’s next film. I’ve been a huge admirer of his work ever since The Lunchbox, and have been hoping to collaborate with him for the longest time. There’s such a beautiful sensitivity and honesty to his storytelling. What makes this even more special is that I get to reunite with Saif after Parineeta, my very first film! I can’t wait to experience the magic of working with both Ritesh and Saif,” she said.

Laurent, who has previously featured in films such as Inglourious Basterds and Now You See Me, said she first met Batra 15 years ago at the Marrakech Film Festival. “We shared this dream to meet in Mumbai one day. I immediately loved this new project, and I am more than honored and happy to be a part of it,” she said.

Batra’s The Lunchbox premiered at the Cannes Film Festival and became one of the highest-grossing releases of its year in India. He later directed Our Souls at Night, starring Robert Redford and Jane Fonda, and Photograph, featuring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Sanya Malhotra.

He most recently directed the first block of the upcoming Netflix series Unaccustomed Earth.

Long Years Ago is backed by Batra and Adeel Ahmed’s production outfit Poetic License, in partnership with Jio Studios and Good Chaos. Jyoti Deshpande is producing for Jio Studios, while Good Chaos’ Mike Goodridge and Teresa Moneo, along with Siddharth Mehra, serve as executive producers.