The Best Kal Penn Movies, Ranked
25 credits from 2002 to 2024, ranked by the Movie Echo Score — a blend of critic reviews, audience ratings and lasting impact. Smile (2022) comes out on top with a score of 71. The biggest box office hit is Smile (2022) with $217M worldwide. Below: the best films by genre and by decade, the most awarded and the newest releases.
Top Rated Kal Penn Movies
The 5 highest-rated films Kal Penn is credited on. Smile (2022) leads with 71, followed by The Imaginary (2024) at 70. The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings, cultural impact and how well a film holds up.
Biggest Kal Penn Box Office Hits
Kal Penn's films have made $443M worldwide in total. Smile (2022) is the biggest hit at $217M, ahead of Epic Movie (2007) ($87.2M). Lifetime grosses, with each film's domestic share.
- 1
Smile 2022 · Horror $217M $106M dom. - 2
Epic Movie 2007 · Adventure $87.2M $39.7M dom. - 3
The Imaginary 2024 · Animation $43.8M $28M dom. - 4
Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay 2008 · Adventure $43.5M $38.1M dom. - 5
Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle 2004 · Adventure $23.9M $18.3M dom. - 6
The Namesake 2007 · Drama $20.4M $13.6M dom. - 7
Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj 2006 · Comedy $6.09M $4.3M dom. - 8
Man About Town 2006 · Drama $1.17M - 9
The Ashram 2018 · Thriller $21.8K
The Best Kal Penn Movie in Every Genre
The best-rated film in each genre Kal Penn has worked in, the genres with the most films first. Comedy leads with 9 films, and The Underdoggs (2024) is the pick of them.
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Comedy 9 films The Underdoggs 2024 · as Ryan Kauffman Movie Echo Score: 37 - Adventure 3 films Epic Movie 2007
- Animation 2 films The Imaginary 2024 · as Zinzan Movie Echo Score: 70
- Horror 2 films Smile 2022 · as Dr. Morgan Desai Movie Echo Score: 71
- Thriller 2 films The Ashram 2018 · as Nitin Movie Echo Score: 57
- Drama 2 films The Namesake 2007
The Best Kal Penn Movie of Each Decade
One pick per decade of Kal Penn's career, newest decade first: the best-rated film of each ten years, from 2000s to 2020s.
The Latest Kal Penn Movies
The most recent films Kal Penn is credited on, newest first — starting with The Imaginary (2024). Open any of them for the cast, ratings, box office and where to watch.
- The Imaginary 2024 · Zinzan
- The Underdoggs 2024 · Ryan Kauffman
- Smile 2022 · Dr. Morgan Desai
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Hot Mess Holiday 2021 · Kal Penn -
SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout 2019 · Kal Penn (uncredited) - The Ashram 2018 · Nitin
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The Layover 2017 · Anuj -
The Girl in the Photographs 2016 · Thriller -
Dementamania 2013 · Horror -
Harold & Kumars Yuletide Jamz 2011 · Kumar Patel - Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay 2008 · Adventure
- The Namesake 2007 · Drama
The Best Kal Penn Movies: Questions & Answers
The best-rated, highest-grossing, most awarded and newest Kal Penn films, answered from the rankings on this page.
What is the best Kal Penn movie?
Smile (2022) is the best-rated Kal Penn film, with a Movie Echo Score of 71, ahead of The Imaginary (2024) (70) and The Ashram (2018) (57). The Movie Echo Score blends critic reviews, audience ratings and how well a film has lasted.
Smile: cast, ratings & box office What is the highest-grossing Kal Penn movie?
Smile (2022) made the most at the box office, with $217M worldwide, followed by Epic Movie (2007) with $87.2M. Together, Kal Penn's films with box office figures have made $443M.
What is the best Kal Penn comedy movie?
The Underdoggs (2024) is the best-rated of Kal Penn's comedy films, with a score of 37. In other genres: Epic Movie (adventure), The Imaginary (animation) and Smile (horror).
What is the newest Kal Penn movie?
The newest film on Kal Penn's filmography is The Imaginary (2024), with Kal Penn as Zinzan.
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