For filmmaker Roshan Sethi, his latest cinematic endeavor is profoundly personal.
His film, A Nice Indian Boy, takes place in the United States and chronicles the journey of Naveen, a reserved physician who introduces his fiancé, Jay, to his traditional Indian relatives.
Sethi, who balances his passion for directing with a career as a practicing physician in palliative care at Dana Farber Cancer Institute, came out to his family as gay just six years ago.
“For a long time, even up to six years ago, I planned to simply endure and live a lie, pretending to be straight, marrying someone, and having children,” he reveals to Sky News.
“I genuinely believed I could maintain that facade for my entire life – I thought it was necessary”.
Reflecting on that time, he expresses gratitude for choosing to reveal his authentic self to the world, saying that “after years of grappling with my identity, I am now preparing to marry a man”.
His partner is Karan Soni, a familiar presence in Hollywood known for his roles in projects like Deadpool and Wolverine, as well as Pokémon: Detective Pikachu and Ghostbusters.
The couple connected through a dating application and have since become not only life partners but also collaborators in their creative pursuits.
Their film, A Nice Indian Boy, featuring Soni alongside Frozen star Jonathan Groff, made its global debut at the London Film Festival, but is currently in search of a distributor for the UK and Ireland markets.
Pic: Levantine Films/Wayfarer Studios
‘Independent film requires a white lead’
“Without Jonathan, this film would not have been financially viable,” explains Sethi, who details that the project was “rejected by virtually every major studio imaginable and also by every significant financier, except for the two who ultimately backed it – Levenstein and Wayfarer”.
The director notes it feels as though “it doesn’t really matter” in the entertainment industry that Soni has appeared in blockbuster franchises; they still required a white lead to bring the film to fruition.
“It’s all part of an ecosystem that you simply cannot rectify. You must learn to navigate it,” he states.
“The challenge of having non-white leads in independent films has always been that they are heavily reliant on foreign pre-sales, primarily from the UK and Europe”.
He further remarks: “In the eyes of financiers and what is often referred to as the marketplace, there is a significant reliance on having white leads, thus complicating the financial viability of a film like this”.
A Nice Indian Boy marks Soni’s second leading role; his debut was in another collaboration with his fiancé, a romantic comedy titled 7 Days.
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The actor describes the experience as “extremely overwhelming” since he never anticipated landing a lead role in a film and emphasizes the significance of representation in both cinema and television.
“I began auditioning professionally in 2010, and all I encountered were co-starring roles, which typically consist of five lines or fewer”.
He recalls: “Back then, Mindy Kaling was on The Office, and Aziz Ansari was featured on Parks and Recreation, and that was pretty much it”.
“I didn’t expect to truly have the opportunity; I was somewhat naive about my future and merely wished for a one-episode appearance on a television show – that was the extent of my aspirations”.
The Abbott Elementary actor shares that after spending years working on various film and TV productions, “it felt like everything had come together” for him to advance to this new chapter in his career.
Pic: Levantine Films/Wayfarer Studios
‘It represents my personal aspiration’
Charming and humorous from start to finish, A Nice Indian Boy explores the strain of seeking a partner who not only complements your love and life but also honors your values and aspirations.
Sethi asserts that although the film is a romantic comedy, it is culturally significant to portray such relationships on-screen.
“I used to be captivated by grand straight weddings in Bollywood. I adored them wholeheartedly – yet I have also come to resent them for their limitations, given that I was infatuated with narratives I could never actually inhabit”.
In 2018, India‘s Supreme Court ruled that homosexual activity was no longer considered a criminal offense.
This decision overturned a 2013 ruling that upheld section 377, which criminalized gay sex as an “unnatural offense” subject to a prison term of up to a decade.
Sethi notes that even during the pre-production phase of the film, they encountered obstacles.
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“When we coordinated the wedding scene in the film, we reached out to Hindu priests throughout North America for assistance with the rituals. We faced rejection from many, including one local priest who sent a disparaging text”.
“Creating the film was a confrontation with my mother’s deepest fears. We uncovered the reasons for her apprehensions and the necessity of proceeding regardless”.
He expresses that the film aims to showcase the ideal scenario for himself and his forthcoming wedding.
“I will be getting married in a few months. Presently, my mother has urged me to hold off. However, the film concludes in a different, more fantastical manner – it culminates in my personal vision of familial acceptance and belonging”.
