The Lunchbox (2013)
Kernel Score: 83% · 790 ratings
Genres: Drama, Romance
Released: 2013-09-20
Runtime: 104 minutes
Where to watch The Lunchbox
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play, YouTube
US availability, updated 2026-10-23.
Overview
A mistaken delivery in Mumbai's famously efficient lunchbox delivery system (Mumbai's Dabbawallahs) connects a young housewife to a stranger in the dusk of his life. They build a fantasy world together through notes in the lunchbox. Gradually, this fantasy threatens to overwhelm their reality.
The Lunchbox parents' guide: ages 8+
Parents need to know that The Lunchbox is a gentle, unrated Indian drama-romance about a housewife and a stranger who form an emotional connection through mistakenly delivered lunchbox notes.
- Sex, romance & nudity: A little — An emotional, non-physical connection develops between a married woman and a stranger, with mild romantic tension.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like The Lunchbox
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- Slumdog Millionaire (2008) — 89%
- All My Life (2020) — 89%
- The Hundred-Foot Journey (2014) — 83%
- Gully Boy (2019) — 81%
- Estômago: A Gastronomic Story (2007) — 87%
Director
Ritesh Batra
Cast
- Irrfan Khan as Saajan Fernandes
- Nimrat Kaur as Ila
- Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Shaikh
- Lillete Dubey as Ila's Mother
- Nasirr Khan as Ila's Father
- Bharati Achrekar as Mrs. Khrishnan
- Nakul Vaid as Rajeev
- Yashvi Punneet Nagar as Yashvi
- Denzil Smith as Mr. Shroff
- Shruti Bapna as Meherunissa
The Lunchbox FAQ
Is The Lunchbox good?
The Lunchbox has an 83% Kernel Score on Fresh Kernels from 790 audience ratings.
Where can I watch The Lunchbox?
In the US you can rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV, Google Play and YouTube.
Is The Lunchbox OK for kids?
Fresh Kernels suggests ages 8+. Parents need to know that The Lunchbox is a gentle, unrated Indian drama-romance about a housewife and a stranger who form an emotional connection through mistakenly delivered lunchbox notes.
What movies are like The Lunchbox?
If you liked The Lunchbox, try The Secret: Dare to Dream, My Name Is Khan, A Special Day and Slumdog Millionaire.