What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedLion
Film · 2016
If you loved Lion, start with Pachinko (Soo Hugh, 2022) — a series on the same thread. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Lion across media.
If the emotional journey of Lion resonated with you, these stories capture the profound struggle to reconcile fractured identities across time and distance.
Books on the same thread
Kim
Rudyard Kipling · Book · 2017
Explores: The Great Game, Cultural Identity, Colonialism.
Like the protagonist in Lion, Kim navigates a complex cultural landscape, searching for his place in the world while balancing his sense of belonging and personal identity.
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
Cheryl Strayed · Book · 2012
Shares a thread with Lion: Resilience.
Much like the search for home in Lion, this memoir captures the raw resilience required to process past trauma and find clarity through an arduous, transformative personal journey.
Solito
Javier Zamora · Book
Shares 2 threads with Lion: resilience, coming-of-age.
This narrative mirrors the heart of Lion, depicting a perilous journey fueled by the deep, persistent human need for family reunification and the resilience of a displaced child.
The Martian
Andy Weir · Book · 2015
Explores: Resourcefulness, Human Ingenuity, Isolation.
The intense focus on isolation and resourcefulness here echoes the survival instincts displayed by the young boy in Lion as he navigates a world that feels entirely foreign.
Series on the same thread
Lost
Jeffrey Lieber · Series · 2004
Explores: Survival, Secrets, Moral Ambiguity.
Just as Lion explores the psychological weight of survival, these characters face extreme isolation and hidden secrets that force them to redefine their sense of self and community.
Pachinko
Soo Hugh · Series · 2022
Shares a thread with Lion: Resilience.
This sweeping saga shares the poignant immigrant experience seen in Lion, focusing on how cultural identity and intergenerational memory shape the lives of those seeking a better future.
The Bear
Christopher Storer · Series · 2022
Explores: Grief, Family Business, Working Class.
The themes of grief and chosen family in this drama provide a grounded parallel to the emotional maturation and search for belonging that defines the arc of Lion.
This Is Us
Dan Fogelman · Series · 2016
Shares a thread with Lion: Family Drama.
Connecting deeply with the family secrets and trauma explored in Lion, this series weaves together disparate lives to show how past experiences fundamentally shape our present day relationships.
Podcasts on the same thread
The Truth
The Truth · Podcast · 2026
Explores: human condition, experimental storytelling, moral ambiguity.
These cinematic, bite-sized stories capture the same focus on the human condition found in Lion, exploring complex moral ambiguities through a variety of unique, intimate perspectives.
MSA
Podcast
Explores: Life Lessons, Personal Growth, Inspiration.
If you valued the personal growth and inspirational resilience of the lead in Lion, these stories offer a similar exploration of the challenges inherent in youth and development.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Lion based on a true story?
The film Lion depicts the true story of a five-year-old Indian boy who gets lost in Calcutta and is eventually adopted by an Australian couple. Twenty-five years later, he uses technology to locate his original family thousands of kilometers away.
What is the main plot of Lion?
Lion follows a young boy who becomes lost on the streets of Calcutta. After surviving numerous challenges, he is adopted by a couple in Australia. As an adult, he embarks on a journey to find his lost family and home.
How old is the boy when he gets lost in Lion?
In the movie Lion, the protagonist is five years old when he becomes separated from his family and ends up on the streets of Calcutta. He remains in Australia for 25 years before he begins his search to reconnect with his original home.
Does Lion focus on the search for family?
Yes, a significant portion of Lion focuses on the protagonist's journey 25 years after his adoption. He sets out to find his lost family in India after being separated from them as a young child in Calcutta.