“A Nice Indian Boy” will probably go down as an underrated, but pretty good LGBTQ+ rom-com.
There’s little buzz surrounding it, but I saw it anyway — all I knew was that “A Nice Indian Boy” is a rom-com and Jonathan Groff is in it, which was more than enough for me to get a ticket. The theater was surprisingly full, and my expectations were nonexistent. To my surprise, I was crying by the end of the movie.
“A Nice Indian Boy” opens with Naveen Gavaskar (Karan Soni) at his sister’s wedding. Friends and family members keep telling him that “he’ll be next,” but Naveen won’t be next, and not because he’s gay — he has no game. Naveen is awkward, calling old situationships and cracking lines like “I was talking to my mom today and remembered you have a mom.” He’s gameless even when he meets Jay Kurundkar (Jonathan Groff), who takes him to a screening of “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge,” a classic Bollywood romance musical. Jay is really into the movie, while Naveen is uncomfortable. They met at a temple, they’re watching a Bollywood movie — but Jay is white. It’s weird at first, until Jay explains that he was adopted by an Indian family.
The two fall in love but face some hurdles along the way. But this isn’t a coming out story. Naveen is already out — he just happens to be emotionally distant. Jay is the exact opposite — he’s a bit embarrassing at first, but has a certain charm that makes him singing “DDLJ” songs in the street endearing. The main hurdle they face is Naveen’s family, who struggle to accept Jay, almost leading to a permanent break-up.
But the writers, Eric Randall and Madhuri Shekar, know what they’re doing. They use the motif of “DDLJ” to mend their relationship, which culminates in a big, glorious Indian wedding. “DDLJ” is there for the biggest moments of their relationship and the most important moments in Naveen’s life. A former hopeless romantic, the reserved Naveen learns the importance of family and love through the lens of his favorite childhood film.
On the technical side of the film, nothing particularly stands out. What makes “A Nice Indian Boy” so special is the writing and its actors. Soni and Groff have fantastic chemistry, and they’re not the only couple. Harish Patel and Zarna Garg, who play Naveen’s parents Archit and Megha, steal every scene they’re in. Their characters go through quite a journey — they support Naveen, but have a hard time adjusting to Jay. On top of that, Archit must figure out a way to connect with Jay and let a softer side of him show, while Megha tries to maintain a central role in Naveen’s life despite his new relationship.
The two are comedic relief — and the occasional antagonists — but by the end of the film, they managed to bring me to tears. Patel and Garg have impeccable comedic timing, and play the clueless but supportive parent trope so well that it felt like they were pulling from their own lives. They want to connect with Naveen and Jay, and their sincerity bleeds through their funny one-liners about gay reality TV. Even though they don’t have much to do until the middle of the film, their journeys are equally as important as Naveen’s.
At the beginning of the film, Jay says that “people are a little embarrassed by the bigness of love” — and this is right after he sings on the street. You start off like Naveen, a bit embarrassed by Jay, but also charmed. By the end of the film, though, the bigness of love will win you over.
Contact Christine Vigliotti at [email protected].