Overview
A chance encounter through a lunchbox leads to an unexpected connection between two lonely souls.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- None
- wistful
- muted
- tender
- quiet evening
- romantic movie night
What critics said
Critics broadly praised the film as a gently moving, finely acted romance that turns loneliness and everyday Mumbai life into nuanced human drama.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Saajan and Ila begin exchanging intimate notes through the lunchbox delivered between their homes and workplaces.
Saajan's isolation and Ila's unhappy marriage form the emotional foundation of their correspondence in Mumbai.
Ila's cooking and the daily tiffin transform a mistaken delivery into a channel for trust and affection.
The film presents an old-fashioned romance through quiet exchanges, ordinary work, domestic tensions, and nuanced performances.
Films like The Lunchbox, and why
In the Mood for Love
Like The Lunchbox, this is a quietly observed romance built from emotional isolation, missed connections, and everyday urban routines.
84 Charing Cross Road
Both films pair restrained romantic longing with intimate correspondence, social observation, and a bittersweet atmosphere.
Before Sunrise
Both are gentle, poignant relationship dramas in which ordinary people find unexpected emotional connection through small acts and communication.
Eat Drink Man Woman
Both combine food, domestic dissatisfaction, and understated romance within a richly textured portrait of city life.
Movie Details
- Director
- Ritesh Batra
- Release Date
- 2013-09-20
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (849)
Cast
- Irrfan Khan
- Nimrat Kaur
- Nawazuddin Siddiqui
- Lillete Dubey
- Nasir Khan
- Bharati Achrekar
- Nakul Vaid
- Yashvi Punneet Nagar
- Denzil Smith
- Shruti Bapna
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Lunchbox about?
- A mistaken lunchbox delivery opens a tender correspondence between a lonely widower and an unhappy housewife in Mumbai.
- What is The Lunchbox like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Lunchbox as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Lunchbox violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Lunchbox.
- What did critics think of The Lunchbox?
- Critics broadly praised the film as a gently moving, finely acted romance that turns loneliness and everyday Mumbai life into nuanced human drama.
- Which films are like The Lunchbox?
- Films with a similar feel include In the Mood for Love, 84 Charing Cross Road, Before Sunrise, and Eat Drink Man Woman.
- How long is The Lunchbox?
- The Lunchbox runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Lunchbox?
- In United States, The Lunchbox is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home.
