Both Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff, proud and talented members of the LGBTQ+ community, have built impressive film careers. Groff is widely recognized for his breakout role on Glee and more popularly for voicing Kristoff and Sven in Disney’s Frozen. Karan Soni, on the other hand, is best known for his role as the hilarious Dopinder in Deadpool. Now, these two stars are teaming up in the romantic comedy-drama A Nice Indian Boy, which is based on Madhuri Shekar’s play of the same name.
RELATED: Jonathan Groff Opens Up About Being Single & His Romantic Life
The film recently had a special screening at the BFI London Film Festival with a premise that reads:
“When Naveen (Soni) brings his fiancé Jay (Groff) home to meet his traditional Indian family, they must contend with accepting his white-orphan-artist boyfriend and helping them plan the Indian wedding of their dreams.”
The film is an amalgamation of cultures with Naveen’s (Soni) family coming from traditional Indian culture and Groff being a white man adopted by an Indian Family. When asked if Soni was worried about comments on representation, he said:
“If you are making a movie that reflects your lived experience, whether or not that’s a stereotype is irrelevant.”
Karan Soni shared that A Nice Indian Boy sets itself apart from other minority films by embracing the complexity of cultural intermingling. He talks about how the film actually mirrors the reality of inter-cultural relationships in the real world, where different cultures come together in “tangled, messy ways.” This unique aspect is central to the film’s story, showcasing the blending of traditions and values.
Meanwhile, Jonathan Groff prepared for his role by diving into Bollywood’s rich and cinematic history. He watched the Bollywood romantic musical classic Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge to familiarize himself with the musical style that is often an integral (and addicting) part of Bollywood films, helping him dive deeper into the role.
RELATED: Ncuti Gatwa and Jonathan Groff’s Kissing Scene Makes History
The film is directed by Roshan Sethi, who is actually Soni’s partner in real life! A Nice Indian Boy currently holds a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes and an 8/10 on IMDB, and if you want to catch the film for yourself, it will be screening at the Tasveer Film Festival & Market in Seattle, Washington on October 20! The film just finished its rounds at the BFI London Film Festival, Newfest, and at the Hamptons Film Festival, where it took home the Sherzum Award, which celebrates films that celebrate LGBTQ+ representation.