Big Wedding Dreams
Film
If you don't know by now, romantic comedies are built on two pillars: an irresistible love story and a steady stream of humor. Some films balance both perfectly, such as the pinnacle of rom-coms When Harry Met Sally, while others lean more one way than the other. Anyone But You certainly isn't a perfect film and has its humorous moments, but the chemistry (and wildly effective marketing campaign) made the central romance between Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney much more effective, whereas Judd Apatow's Knocked Up is a great example of a romantic Comedy, with a capital C. Roshan Sethi's A Nice Indian Boy embraces this textbook formula with charm, blending cultural expectations with a modern romance, delivering heartfelt moments and some lighthearted laughs. But, despite its promising premise and occasional bright spots, the film struggles to break free from the well-worn tropes of the genre. While it offers a fresh perspective on family, identity, and same-sex relationships within Indian culture, the central romance never fully captures the emotional depth needed to make it truly compelling.
Sethi's film follows Naveen (Karan Soni), a reserved and conflict-averse man who won’t admit it outright but has always dreamed of a big Indian wedding—a dream that feels just out of reach. That is until he meets Jay (Jonathan Groff), a white photographer, adopted and raised by Indian parents, with an insatiable love for Bollywood films and the grand gestures of love that are within them. As they grow closer, Naveen must finally introduce Jay to his traditional Indian parents, to make his dreams of a big Indian wedding, come true.
While Soni and Groff are admirable in their roles, flashing moments of chemistry, their underlying romance is rushed and at times, underdeveloped. Their first date is a hilarious mix of awkward exchanges and masked emotion, but the dialogue in which they learn about each other is predicated on a clunky discussion of love. Rom-coms are expected to explore love, but writers Eric Randall and Madhuri Shekar overdo it, making the dialogue feel heavy-handed rather than natural. While Jay's appreciation of grand romantic gestures makes sense thematically, with his love of Bollywood films and how they represent romance, the execution derails the very foundation of his and Naveen's relationship. Unfortunately, this snowballs throughout the film, rendering most of their relationship conflicts ineffective. However, the comedic moments scattered throughout A Nice Indian Boy are effective thanks to a wonderful group of supporting actors. Naveen's best friend Paul (Peter S. Kim) has a handful of hilarious lines, while Naveen's parents Megha (Zarna Garg) and Archit (Harish Patel) contribute effectively through their tepid acceptance of Jay.
Where A Nice Indian Boy finds some depth is in its exploration of the intersection of tradition and modern love, not only through Naveen and Jay’s same-sex relationship but also the contrasting relationship of Naveen’s sister, Arundhathi(Sunita Mani). Differing expectations placed on women versus men in the Indian community, including arranged marriages, add nuance to the story, allowing it to thrive outside the confines of classic rom-com tropes. When the film reaches its heartfelt conclusion, there’s a sense of warmth thanks to a classic tug at-your-heart strings finale, but there's also a lingering feeling that it could have been something more. The ingredients for a standout rom-com are in A Nice Indian Boy somewhere, but the execution lacks the spark needed to make it truly memorable.
In the end, A Nice Indian Boy is a pleasant watch, especially for fans of the rom-com genre. It delivers a handful of laughs, tender moments, and a meaningful cultural perspective, but it never fully distances itself from the countless other romantic comedies that came before it. While enjoyable, it’s more “nice” than truly unforgettable.
Froth
If you're looking for a solid, middle-of-the-road, hits all the popular points kind of rom-com, then you'll likely enjoy A Nice Indian Boy. It doesn't veer too far off the sides any which way, and is an easily digestable piece of entertainment for those that enjoy the genre. For the beer side, I took a similar approach. Maritime Pacific Brewing Company's Citra IPA has quickly become one of those staples that you can turn to in a time of need, and know that you're gonna enjoy yourself. If you love a combination of punchy citrus, grapefruit, and strong florals well then my friend, you love a good Citra brewed IPA. And Maritime Pacific Brewing Company has got one! It's got a decent heft to it, at 6.4% ABV, but it's still got an easy medium body that makes it drinkable and refreshing as we get near these hotter spring months. Making it, that's right, an easy option to default to for any of you Citra IPA lovers out there!
