The Lunchbox
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.
Directed by Ritesh Batra · Drama · Romance · 104 min · 2013
Director
Ritesh Batra
Studio
N/A
Release
2013-09-20
Runtime
104 min
Genres
Drama, Romance
Cast & Characters
Saajan Fernandes
Irrfan Khan
Ila
Nimrat Kaur
Shaikh
Nawazuddin Siddiqui
Ila's Mother
Lillete Dubey
Ila's Father
Nasir Khan
Mrs. Khrishnan
Bharati Achrekar
Did You Know?
Made on an estimated budget of $3.4M, The Lunchbox has grossed $17.2M worldwide — about 5.1x its budget.
Source: TMDb API · verified 2026-08-02
Irrfan Khan appears in 5 films in our catalog, including Paan Singh Tomar, Talvar.
Source: theIReview.com catalog · verified 2026-08-02
The Lunchbox grossed ₹71 million in its first weekend of release in India, and ₹110 million in its first week.
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-03
Critical Assessment
The Lunchbox holds 7.4/10 on TMDb (831 votes). (Not in OMDb — sourced from TMDb instead.)
Not enough independent critic/audience score breakdown available.
Ratings as of July 30, 2026
Where to Watch
United States
United Kingdom
Streaming data from JustWatch via TMDb. Availability changes often — confirm on the provider before watching.
AI Verdict
AI-generatedBased on TMDb's aggregated score (7.4/10 on TMDb (831 votes)), this is a data-driven snapshot rather than an editorial take.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Lunchbox good? What are critics saying?+
The Lunchbox holds 7.4/10 on TMDb (831 votes). (Not in OMDb — sourced from TMDb instead.)
How long is The Lunchbox?+
The Lunchbox has a runtime of 104 min.
Who directed The Lunchbox?+
The Lunchbox was directed by Ritesh Batra.
Where can I watch The Lunchbox?+
The Lunchbox is available to stream, rent, or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home, Curzon Amazon Channel, Rakuten TV, Curzon Home Cinema, BFI Player.
