As the audience may anticipate, “A Nice Indian Boy” doesn’t make romance the central theme of the film. A Great Indian son doesn’t need to get married, but appears to be compelled to seek parental approval for reasons that are never addressed throughout the film. For example, Naveen (Karan Soni), the male protagonist in the film, and representing a specific section of Asian culture, particularly Indian culture, is good looking, sociable and extremely charming soul as per the standards of the Romans in Latin America, but happens to be gay.
Nonetheless, Sethi, together with screenwriter Eric Randall who is adapting a play by Madhuri Shekar does not aim to overturn every convention and tradition in the book. There’s Judy’s meet-cute in a Hindu temple, a easily resolved second-act breakup, there’s a wedding dance at the end ‘A Nice Indian Boy’ has very few structural shocks given how closely the film comes to following the locational structure of a typical romantic comedy that has for a while been denied to queer characters, let alone queer people of colour. The film, in fact, quite effectively self-referentially nimbly self references its own conventions by music from a bollywood film, ‘Dilwale Dulhunia Le Jayenge’, a 1990’s hit, as it serves its characters the cheesbag coda at the end of their wishes. For a specific segment of the audience, this festival’s crowdpleaser, which debuted at SXSW back in March, might provide a somewhat similar inspirational standard.
As the film begins, Naveen’s smart, beautiful sister Arundhathi (Sunita Mani) is marrying a very decent looking Indian gentleman, a wish come true for the siblings’ well meaning but racially obsessed parents Megha (Zarna Garg) and Archit (Harish Patel) who were also married against their will in India. Naveen doesn’t hit the dance floor and thinks whether he’ll ever be in the shoes of the main character of such an occasion. While Naveen is brave enough to come out to a family that is already more progressive than most, this is about the extent of concern he has for anyone in his family and vice versa as they wouldn’t be inclined to prowl around his personal life if he were straight.
When the film takes a leap a few years ahead, it has not aged well in the sense that not much has transpired. Today, single and wholly working, Naveen pretty much feels that his parents hold less esteem for him in comparison to the married but currently motherless Arundhati. In his venture, he however finds a model husband in the cordial and considerate professional photographer Jay, who can’t be described as an unsuitable suitor to any mother: he is a Hindu with a prominent tattoo of the god Ganesh on his arm and a soft spot for Bollywood films.
He has been adopted as a child by Indian parents who have since passed away? And yet, despite the fact that the two of them grow close, it is their many commonalities that disquiet Naveen rather than provide him with solace.
The relationship seems to be at a stage where it can be classified as serious, and it is time for both families to meet, but Naveen is still not sure that it’s time to completely blur that particular line in his existence. Randall’s script is the most enlightening when dealing with the main character’s image of the family, most of which is wrong: There is a chance that both his parents, primarily the grumpy dad, are not as backwards and bigoted as he pictures them whilst the vision of Arundhati is not that of the traditional Indian wife. ‘A Nice Indian Boy’ is also quite gently humorous and very charming in that it portrays the story of a middle class Indian American family at the present timE, caught up in the processes of immigration integration from and to two different places which have been successfully achieved by Garg in a delightful, etc. And it’s funny in part because Garg herself is a loving person who is just waiting for a chance to meet her son and see what his life is about.
Picnic Films Director Matt Frazier on why he disapproved of Jay as ever being worthy of his place as a gay Indian. First of all, that would make him incredibly relatable right? How would one go about conquering race, sexuality and the patriarchy? But no, Jay takes it all in his stride and rightfully outgrows that stereotype of endless clashes and struggles. Jay’s understanding of cultures beyond his norm must be his most apparent and defining trait fit in, respect his values and assertions and practically thrive and develop into an absolutely wonderful human being who holds nothing but positivity. He’s so lovely when portrayed like a sane character, struggles and fights are a part of every relationship and yet, he remains calm and benevolent.
It is stunning how relatable and realistic this plot feels, where you don’t have over-leveled drama, super ridiculous misunderstandings or completely foolish stereotypes, but struggles revolving around basic, fundamental human nature. The question remains – can an American be an Indian? Yes, it may indeed feel invasive or challenging, and yes, would undoubtedly raise several red flags, but the main message that shines through the last moments of the movie is that families can be incredibly accepting perhaps the only life lesson worth reiterating time and again.
“I believe we all feel quite abashed by love.” Jay tells this to Naveen on their first date, Naveen most certainly does. “However, the title A Nice Indian Boy, is exactly how it is supposed to win us over.”
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