Once the initial My Big Fat Greek Wedding vibes start to wear off a bit, Karan Soni’s performance is almost enough to distract from A Nice Indian Boy’s shortcomings. The newest film from director Roshan Sethi (also the creator of the television series The Resident) is packed with so-so performances and a plot that revolves around what must have been some kind of rom-com checklist. Thus, despite how cute and refreshing it is to get a queer love story rooted in love and happiness rather than misery, the trek to its all-too-predictable conclusion feels mostly like a slog.
Soni (Miracle Workers) is Naveen, a young doctor and gay Indian man whose life, we’re told, has been a sort of minefield laid out between his queerness and his family’s more traditional leanings. Oh, his sister and parents (Sunita Mani, Zarna Garg and Harish Patel respectively) aren’t homophobic per se, but his folks are certainly older and old-school in certain ways, and sis is a bit of a brat. So, when Naveen meets and begins dating a handsome photographer named Jay (Jonathan Groff, Hamilton), he’s wary of bringing him to meet the fam. Not only has Naveen never brought a boyfriend home, Jay’s white. But wait a sec, there’s a twist—Jay was adopted by Indian parents and brought up with the culture, so that’s at least something.
What follows is the typical series of love movie events: A couple falls hard, faces strong odds, separates for whatever flimsy reason and then comes back together once everyone around them gets on board. Perhaps there is comfort in the samey romance flick agenda, but the tedium feels very real. Luckily, Soni is practically a charm machine. In previous roles, he seems to have been typecast as a bit of a dick. Here, however, he’s a relatable little ball of anxiety who projects his fears on his family and friends while still being lovable. To be fair, his sister is a jerk (though, surprise, they make up before the end) and his parents are both pretty silly. Garg’s turn as the mom is sometimes funny, though she mostly sticks to a tell-it-like-it-is vibe similar to Andrea Martin in those Big Fat Greek Wedding movies.
Groff, meanwhile, struggles to express a personality as the borderline exhausting Jay. The idea is that he’s artsy and sort of dramatic—elements that are somehow meant to pull Naveen out of his shell. Instead, he seems intense in a way that feels more preachy than sexy. Oh, and he totally sings, even if only for a moment.
Despite Groff’s…deal, A Nice Indian Boy does find a few sincerely sweet moments during the fracas. The less said about the dimensionless side characters, the better. But moments that provide insight into Indian cultural and familial politics are genuinely interesting, as is a third act Bollywood joke that both lampoons and celebrates that most beautiful and bizarre cinematic world. But the chemistry isn’t quite right between anyone, and Soni can’t carry an entire movie on his own. If it’s a super-simple love story you seek, A Nice Indian Boy should work just fine if you don’t think about it too hard. If you’re hoping for fireworks, however, or something even remotely original, this ain’t it.
6
+Soni is so funny; cultural touchstones; very sweet at times
-Groff’s a better singer than actor; not even slightly original
Center for Contemporary Arts, Violet Crown, NR, 96 min.
