Interracial Romantic Pack with a Bollywood Twist
Hooray do not have Have Jonathan Groff sing “Tujhe Dekha To Yeh Jana Sanam” on my 2024 Bingo Card. The Broadway actor humbly steps into Indian culture with Roshan Sethi’s A Nice Indian Boy, which is based on Aditya Chopra’s ‘Tuj Deka’. Groff, who has been linked to Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge many times (this time, not coincidentally, heading to Broadway), would know something about it…).
Written by Eric Randall (based on a play by Madhuri Shekhar), “The Wonderful Indian Boy” is about subverting stereotypes about Indian culture within and outside the community. The title itself is a cheeky twist on every aunty’s favorite refrain: that when a girl reaches the right age, she or her family will find her a “nice Indian boy” and settle down. Thing.
But this time, the protagonist Naveen (Karan Soni) is the one who plans to bring home a nice Indian boy, and it’s probably not what all the aunties imagined. . But “A Nice Indian Boy” delights in subverting expectations even as it follows the structure of a traditional love story. First, Naveen’s parents know he’s gay, so the movie quickly frees itself from dealing with a coming out story or whatever else it’s trying to accomplish. And as for that nice Indian boy…meet Jay (Groff).
Groff’s character was adopted by Indian parents and grew up praying to Ganesh (pronounced correctly, Ganesh, not Ganesh) and loving “DDLJ.” Once again, “Nice Indian Boy” deftly avoids the messy storylines familiar to viewers. Naveen doesn’t have to explain his culture or upbringing to the devilishly charismatic photographer (they are from the same region of India and both have Marathi surnames) and is able to truly capture the memories. After singing the aforementioned song on their remaining first date, things get serious.
But Nice Indian Boy ventures into old territory, played by Hindi film veteran Harish Patel and comedian Zarna Garg in their feature debut (and by bringing her stand-up persona to the screen). This is the scene (perfectly extracted above) where Naveen has to tell his parents. What’s going on in his romantic life? It’s nothing new for first-generation children to keep their personal lives away from their parents, but it’s complicated by race, sexuality, and the seemingly perfect life of Naveen’s sister Arundhati. Star Sunita Mani.
Sony brings out his well-honed clumsiness. Naveen wears an uncomfortable coat even as she reaches milestones that should bring her peace, like coming out and falling in love. His deft timing provides the most laughs in the film, along with Garg’s keen awareness of how to deliver a punchline (and later bring a tear). It creates laughter.
Like Sethi’s “7 Days,” the cultural touches on “A Nice Indian Boy” never feel like an afterthought. From the last name to the licensed songs and “DDLJ” footage to the strategically placed songs by the proud Ali Sethi, this is a South Asian made for the sole purpose of promoting South Asianness. It’s not a movie. Sethi’s passion for love stories is intrinsically intertwined with his love of Indian culture and cinema, and now he’s exploring his queer side as he applies those powerful, if predictable, storytelling techniques. It is also intertwined with the identity of
Love in Bollywood isn’t just for straight men (the Indian industry is slowly disintegrating), and Naveen also realizes in A Nice Indian Boy that it’s not just for Indians. ing. When love is this great, it transcends cultures and generations and ultimately brings everyone together. Just like “DDLJ”.
Grade: B+
“A Nice Indian Boy” premiered at the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival. We are currently looking for distribution in the United States.
