Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
A Nice Indian Boy: Not just another wedding flick
“I have an extra ticket to a film screening, if you would like to join me.”
And just like that, Jay asked Naveen out. And bashfully, in a most tongue-tied manner, Naveen accepted. I watched A Nice Indian Boy because I admire Zarna Garg’s bold, self-deprecating American stand-up comedy. I also couldn’t help but think of Vikram Seth’s A Suitable Boy — the title echoes it — and I expected some thematic similarities. Beyond that, I went in cold, knowing nothing about the plot. When the movie opened straight into a wedding party, I braced myself. Another Indian-themed film centered on a wedding? But I held back my disappointment. Soon enough, something shifted.
The moment that stayed with me crept in unexpectedly. It’s picture day at the hospital where Naveen (Karan Soni) works. The photographer is Jay Kurundkar (Jonathan Groff). Us doctors have all had those hospital portrait days in our white coats; they are professional, functional, never artistic. But the way Jay draws Naveen out makes him visible and soft, revealing something deeper in his vision. The way the light catches Naveen’s eyes—kind, vulnerable, open— is not just good camerawork; it’s emotionally charged. That scene got under my skin in the best way.
A compelling cast; Zarna Garg debuts
Directed by Roshan Sethi and based on Madhuri Shekar’s play, A Nice Indian Boy is a 2024 romantic comedy about Naveen (Soni), an Indian-American doctor, introducing his boyfriend-fiancé Jay (Groff), a white man adopted by Indian parents, to his parents: Mr and Mrs. Gavaskar. It premiered at SXSW on March 12, 2024, and is now available to stream or rent at home.
Jonathan Groff, best known from Hamilton, is unexpectedly natural as Jay in his Indianness, kurta pajamas, going to the temple, adding saffron to his food, a Ganesh tattoo, and a quiet ease around falling in love with Naveen. Zarna Garg, in her feature film debut, stays completely herself and is delightful as she interacts with her on-screen kids and husband. Karan Soni plays the anxious, introverted young man with conviction. Sunita Mani as Naveen’s sister Arundhati captures the complexity of being an America-born desi with sincerity and bite. Harish Patel’s Archit quietly steals scenes with silent, almost obtuse expressions. He once dreamed of being a chef, but now cooks korma and dal makhani for his kids, content that they’re living the dreams he never got to chase.
A wedding, love and conflict
All this plays out against the backdrop of a lavish wedding. Arundhathi Gavaskar (Mani) is marrying Manish (Sachin Sahel), an orthopedic surgeon in the making. Megha (Garg) and Archit (Patel), who themselves never met before their arranged wedding, are beaming with pride. It opens with a full-throttle “Badtameez Dil” number, launching the film with the energy of a proper Bollywood shaadi.
Naveen, Arundhathi’s brother, hangs in the background. He’s gay. His parents know, but it’s not discussed openly. Wedding guests, blissfully unaware, shout, “You’re next!” Karan Soni handles this moment of Naveen’s hesitancy and layered discomfort very believably. Meanwhile, Jay, unfiltered and open-hearted, is instantly smitten. It’s love at first sight, DDLJ style!
Jay, who spent his early life in foster care before being adopted by Indian parents, embraces the culture fully. He even takes Naveen to see Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ), serenading him on the sidewalk with one of its songs. Naveen is mortified—not swept away by Yash Chopra’s mustard-field magic, but to Naveen’s surprise, Jay isn’t performing. He’s just being himself.
They move in together, and eventually, Naveen works up the courage to bring Jay home. He coaches him like a nervous campaign manager: no PDA, behave in a formal manner, like you’re “interviewing for the Presidency.”
That’s the other scene I love—Jay meeting the parents. They’re ready for it, surprisingly, until Arundhathi—clearly cracking under her pressure—blurts out that Jay smokes pot. The mood sours. Jay leaves. And Naveen, preoccupied with his shame and conflict, doesn’t see that his sister’s marriage is unraveling.
Familiar rom-com with emotional wisdom
The film doesn’t reinvent the rom-com wheel. It follows familiar beats: initial spark, complications, conflict, and resolution, ending in another wedding, complete with a riotous Jalebi dance. But what keeps it fresh is the undertone of a wise emotional authenticity. Writers Eric Randall and Madhuri Shekar give us flawed characters who still fit—one guarded, one exuberant –and they balance each other.
Both Jay and Naveen are obsessed with DDLJ, a film that once captivated my daughter’s circle, back when they still believed in that kind of love. I wonder how they’d receive this one now. There’s more skepticism in the air these days. Still, A Nice Indian Boy doesn’t rely solely on nostalgia. It looks at love with gentle humor and real stakes.
The film isn’t just about music and rituals. It’s about doing the hard work. Jay and Naveen clash, compromise, and eventually find alignment. Naveen’s family comes around, not because they suddenly understand what the duo are going through, but because their love makes them want to try. Even Megha and Archit, who had an arranged marriage, want their kids to marry for love.
Jay yearns for something rooted: a home steeped in Indian culture, a wedding with band, baaja, baaraat, and the noisy joy of community. Naveen is too afraid to ask for all this out loud. Jay sees past his partner’s fear, saying, “I think we’re all a little bit embarrassed by the bigness of love.”
DDLJ might be the muse here, but A Nice Indian Boy expands the idea. It’s not just about cinematic puppy love. It’s about how complicated, embarrassing, joyful love can be. Even if it’s not perfect and the only date the wedding venue is available for is 9/11, it’s still worth showing up for. In the end, this is a story full of love, food, dancing, and awkward family moments. A romantic comedy, yes, but also a heartfelt tribute to work-in-progress desi families who are still trying to figure it out. They want a “nice Indian boy,” preferably a doctor. But mostly, they want someone who will love their son the way they do. And that’s enough.