| Calorie | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Eisha Marjara |
| Written by | Eisha Marjara |
| Produced by | Joe Balass |
| Starring | Ellora Patnaik Anupam Kher Dolly Ahluwalia |
| Cinematography | Marc Simpson-Threlford Christophe Dalpé |
| Edited by | Paul Chotel |
| Music by | Gaëtan Gravel |
Production company | Compass Productions |
| Distributed by | Filmoption International |
Release date |
|
Running time | 107 minutes |
| Country | Canada |
| Languages | English Punjabi |
Calorie is a Canadian drama film, directed by Eisha Marjara and released in 2025.[1] The film stars Ellora Patnaik as Monika, the single mother of a Sikh Canadian family who sends her two daughters Alia (Shanaya Dhillon-Birmhan) and Simi (Ashley Ganger) on a trip to India to visit family and reconnect with their Punjabi heritage, only for the girls to learn the secret their mother had always shielded them from, that their grandmother had been killed in the bombing of Air India Flight 182.[2]
The cast also includes Anupam Kher and Dolly Ahluwalia as Mohan and Gurdeep, the great-uncle and great-aunt who host the girls on the trip, as well as Sana Syed, Puja Uppal, Usha Uppal and Peter Miller in supporting roles.
Production
Production on the film began in fall 2022 in Montreal,[3] with further shooting in India later in the fall and winter.
Distribution
The film premiered at the Calgary International Film Festival on September 21, 2025,[4] and was screened in November at the 56th International Film Festival of India, prior to its commercial release on November 28.[2]
Critical response
Elizabeth Mulloy of That Shelf wrote that "for all of its shortcomings, Calorie remains quietly compelling. Its familiar contours, its deeply personal undercurrents, and its universal longing for connection manage to cut through the film’s flaws. While the script is undercooked and its characters are underwritten, there is an undeniable warmth in the way these lives brush up against each other. That warmth, paired with Marjar’s earnest direction, gives the film enough emotional pull to make it a worthwhile journey."[5]
References
- ^ Charles-Henri Ramond, "Calorie – Film by Eisha Marjara". Films du Québec, November 24, 2025.
- ^ a b Naman Ramachandran, "‘Calorie,’ Starring Anupam Kher, Unveils Trailer Ahead of Asian Premiere at International Film Festival of India". Variety, November 21, 2025.
- ^ Mike Cohen, "On the set of Calorie: Motion picture to tell the emotionally packed story of Sikh-Canadian family". The Suburban, October 29, 2022.
- ^ "Anupam Kher drops striking new look; shares transformation". The Times of India, September 20, 2025.
- ^ Elizabeth Mulloy, "Calorie Review: Family Drama Could Stand to Add a Few More Pounds". That Shelf, November 26, 2025.
External links
- Calorie at IMDb
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