The traditional notion of what a romantic comedy “should be” has been left in the dust of the yesteryear of the late 2000s. We no longer have opening shots that plunk us in New York City or Chicago and have a walk and talk through a magazine targeted for women or a niche makeup brand as the titles begin to wrap up. That kind of romantic comedy is no longer with us (thoughts and prayers…), but that means richer, funnier comedies with romance attached can sprout in its place. Romantic comedies used to serve a purpose in the vein of aspirational escapes and fantasies, but we also have gotten smarter and wiser in the process. As much as I, too, loved seeing Kate Hudson trot around a big city in a post-Sex and the City world, I was hoping that this fusion of romance and comedy would add in dashes of earnestness with heart on the line.
Enter A Nice Indian Boy. Roshan Sethi’s film is a knock-out for many reasons, but most importantly because it shows that you should never be afraid to declare your heart’s biggest desire. I don’t care if that’s cheesy or over-the-top…Jonathan Groff’s character would appreciate it.
Karan Soni stars as Naveen, a shy doctor who doesn’t take up enough space in his own life. His sister, Sunita Mani’s Arundhathi, got married a few years ago, and everyone made a point to tell him, “Next time, it’s you!” Naveen has gotten so comfortable hiding himself that there is no possible way that he ever thought love or a serious relationship would come his way. That is until the shimming, intense gaze of Jonathan Groff takes hold of him. Groff’s Jay is a freelance photographer brought in to take the hospital staff’s new portraits, and that gushy, genuine energy that has always radiated from Groff’s eyes breaks through Naveen’s insecurities and his barriers.
Naveen is constantly knocked askew by Jay’s honesty and his forthrightness, and he’s most taken aback by how Jay was adopted into an Indian family. Jay sings in the street and has a directness that would normally weird people out, but remains charming in Groff’s hands. He’s eager and quietly joyful. I don’t remember the last time that I saw a character so absolutely interested in learning and caring about another person. Naveen opens his heart privately to Jay as their relationship progresses, but he holds too much caution when it comes to introducing his beau to his parents, Megha and Archit. These are parents who have subscribed to OutTV to learn more about their son’s life, but Naveen’s fear complicates his feelings in every way possible.
Soni has always been such a dependable ensemble player (rest in peace, Miracle Workers…), but he flourishes in Indian Boy. He keeps Naveen’s voice at a soft register and often keeps his body rigid or twisted in on itself to display how uncomfortable he is. His performance is not unlike Kate Winslet’s in Nancy Meyers’ The Holiday in how both characters don’t know how to celebrate their own worth. It takes an outside perspective, after all, to remind you that you are the lead character in your own life. Winslet had the friendship of Eli Wallach, and Soni has the love of Groff. Talk about gumption!
Sethi directs with a careful, gentle hand which allows the comedy and humor to balance out the swells of romance. His use of color is absolutely gorgeous, especially in the moments when several characters witness the power of the color red in Jay’s photograph of his family. He employs the colors and drama of the musical Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge to great effect.
The romantic comedy is not dead, but it has evolved. A Nice Indian Boy feels like it has a lot on the line in terms of its characters’ hearts and personal growth, and I would put that up against any chase to the airport or anticipation for a little blue box from Tiffany’s. We are all worthy of love, but we cannot expect our heart to accept another without the enduring, meddling love of family to help strengthen that journey.
A Nice Indian Boy is playing now in theaters.
