We need more mainstream LGBTQ+ rom-coms. In recent years there’s been Fire Island, Happiest Season and Bros – I don’t count Love, Simon as that’s more a coming of age film than rom-com – so it’s nice that we’re getting a new addition in A Nice Indian Boy.
When Naveen (Karan Soni) came out to his Indian family, his sexuality became the elephant in the room that everyone danced around and never confronted. Despite his mom attempting to understand him better, Naveen avoids talking about love and relationships in front of his family, preferring to hide all sense of personal life because it feels easier. But he’s tired of chasing relationships that never pan out, leaving him alone and isolated.
Then fate intervenes, and Naveen finds himself connecting with Jay (Jonathan Groff), the photographer he shared a chance encounter with at the temple. Jay, while white, was adopted by Indian parents, so he’s familiar with Indian culture and customs. Naveen and Jay are opposites; Jay’s perfectly comfortable loudly singing on the street, while Naveen is someone who would collapse internally at such displays. But like they say, opposites attract, and Naveen can’t help but be drawn to Jay’s effervescence and how unapologetic he is about being himself.
Soni’s always been funny in all the roles I’ve seen him in, and he brings the same awkward, funny energy to the character of Naveen. All of us introverts will be able to relate to Naveen’s desire for love as well as the crippling inertia that sometimes prevents him from acting in the way that it wants to. Naveen wants to love openly, but finds it difficult when he’s spent so much of his life hiding his sexuality and relationships. This proves to be an issue for Jay, who doesn’t like masking or pretending, and wants to proudly proclaim his love for Naveen – Bollywood style. After the tragedy of Spring Awakening and the villainy of Jesse St James in Glee, it’s nice to see Jonathan Groff play such a genuinely lovely character who gets a happy ending.
Given that I grew up watching Bollywood rom-coms, it was such a treat to be privy to Naveen and Jay’s discussion of Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ). The film, starring Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, is so iconic because the characters commit acts of subversion and don’t conform to the status quo, but this rebellion in the face of love doesn’t involve disparaging or demeaning Indian culture and traditions. A Nice Indian Boy takes a page from DDLJ, as Naveen makes choices that don’t conform to traditional ideals, but his family aren’t bigoted or close-minded in response. The film introduces authentic obstacles that make sense to the characters and does so in a way that shows us both sides of the picture.
While Naveen feels anger at his parents and in particular his father for the lack of understanding, Naveen himself has closed himself off to discussions and their opinions. He expects the worse and forgets to give people the chance to prove that they can be more.
A Nice Indian Boy is just a lovely, saccharine film. As a rom-com lover, it’s such a treat to get to watch something so effusively beautiful and just filled with love.
Review screener provided.
REVIEW SCORE: 4/5
