A Nice Indian Boy
Vancouver doctor Naveen Gavaskar's (Karan Soni, "Deadpool's" Dopinder) conservative Indian parents Archit (Harish Patel) and Megha (Zarna Garg) try hard to understand his gay lifestyle, but when Naveen falls hard for Jay Kurundkar (Jonathan Groff, Netflix's 'Mindhunter,' "Hamilton"), a white man adopted by Indian parents, all he can think about is his mother's joy when his sister Arundhathi (Sunita Mani, "Death of a Unicorn") gave up on her college boyfriends for an arranged marriage to "A Nice Indian Boy."
Laura's Review: B+
Director Roshan Sethi ("7 Days") and writer Eric Randall (TV's 'Elsbeth,' adapting Madhuri Shekar's play) fashion a gay romcom like a group hug - warm, funny and overflowing with love and acceptance. Groff holds his arms, eyes and heart wide open for the shy Soni to stumble right into them. But every romcom needs a third act obstacle and this one is Naveen's complete reluctance to introduce Jay, a man who cherished his adoptive parents after passing through multiple foster homes, to his family, and when he finally does, his sister's resentment at what their parents are willing to accept for Jay but not for her torpedoes everything.
Arundhathi's colorful Indian wedding to orthopedic surgeon Manish (Sachin Sahel) opens the movie, Naveen bearing up under the usual constant stream of clueless 'you're next' friends and relatives. As he tells his gay colleague Paul (Peter S. Kim) about his parents, 'they obviously know I'm gay, they just don't see me *being* gay.' Six years later, as Naveen prays to Ganesh, his favorite Hindu god, he is aware of another man entering the temple behind him, then becomes quite tongue-tied when the handsome stranger turns out to be the free lance photographer taking ID pictures at his hospital. After Jay takes a picture of Naveen looking dreamily smitten, he asks him out to a movie, but on that first date the withdrawn Naveen is taken aback that 1) Jay has taken him to see Jay's father's favorite movie, "Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge," 2) that Jay sings one of the songs to him on the street afterwards 3) that he vapes pot and 4) shares his dreams of a big wedding. Overwhelmed, Naveen dodges a kiss with a weak excuse about having to get up early.
But Naveen cannot resist Jay despite their different styles and soon Jay has moved in, the two blissfully happy. An awkward conversation during a dinner party with Jay's friends Billie (Sas Goldberg) and Neel (Sean Amsing) about Naveen's reluctance to introduce Jay to his family finally pulls down the wall Naveen's erected, resulting in a marriage proposal. Then things get complicated. But this is also where Naveen's parents' characters begin to come into sharper focus and Garg, who's already had us guffawing, and Patel, a reserved cypher, blossom after generational caution is alleviated with frank communication, sending the film out on a joyful high. Naveen makes an unusual grand gesture. A scene between Patel and Groff is particularly touching, Ashrit reaching a new level of understanding after visiting Jay's queer photo exhibit, one which ends with a portrait of Jay with his adoptive parents. A double entendre speech made by Garg is another highlight.
"A Nice Indian Boy" is a film to be celebrated, a hugely entertaining cultural clash comedy with a superlative ensemble that embraces inclusion.
Robin's Review: B
Naveen (Karan Soni) is an Indian-American doctor, lonely and gay. One day, while praying at temple, another joins him, prays and leaves. Then, during photo ID day at the hospital, he again meets Jay (Jonathan Groff), an orphaned white guy adopted by Indian parents. Soon, the two become a couple and wedding bells ring for “A Nice Indian Boy.”
What we have here is a gay rom-com that is corny, predictable and very likable. Director Roshan Sethi musters, with writers Eric Randall and Madhuri Shekar, his players in a feel-good cross-cultural family comedy that has warmth, gentle humor and Naveen’s mom (Zarna Garg), who steals her every scene.
Naveen goes through the paces of his life and medical career, but without someone to care for or care for him. Then, he has his brief encounter with Jay at temple, rekindled when Jay takes his ID photo. He asks Naveen to go to a movie and medico learns that his new friend is an orphan, has Indian parents (now deceased) and is a practicing Hindi. Romance, of course, ensues and the couple plans their traditional Indian wedding.
Things go exactly as expected in this, as I said, predictable romantic comedy, but that is not a bad thing when it has a kind heart and a gentle soul. I did not find a lot of charisma between Naveen and Jay, aside from what the filmmakers invent. The actors, though, are likable and surrounded by funny characters and situations that all work out in the overwhelmingly positive finale.
A romantic comedy, whether straight or gay, is a good thing when done for the right reason – like love. That is what director Sethi and his talent achieve in telling a nice story with broad appeal.
Blue Harbor Entertainment releases "A Nice Indian Boy" in select theaters on 4/4/25, expanding in subsequent weeks.
