Roshan Sethi’s rom-com set for London Film Festival debut

A DOCTOR-turned-filmmaker has created a romantic comedy that puts a new spin on traditional Bollywood themes. The film, shot in 18 days in Vancouver, Canada, is set to premiere at the BFI London Film Festival (LFF) next week.

Roshan Sethi's A Nice Indian Boy tells the story of Naveen Gavaskar, played by Indian-American actor Karan Soni, and Jay Kurundkar, played by American actor Jonathan Groff. Jay is adopted by Indian migrant parents and raised in a Maharashtrian household. Their story begins with a chance meeting at a temple, and their shared love for Bollywood movies, particularly the 1990s hit Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge, leads to an emotional journey towards a traditional Indian wedding.

“I grew up with DDLJ like most Indian people abroad, but it really became part of the film through the script adaptation,” Sethi told PTI ahead of the LFF screenings scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday. “I'm really excited for the London Film Festival audiences to see it,” he added, noting the challenges of creating an independent film featuring a diverse cast.

Sethi highlighted the difficulties in making such films today, especially in Hollywood. "Hollywood is one of the most racist industries in America, so I hope that stories like this are widely seen,” he said, adding that he senses a shift away from diversity in the industry.

The screenplay, adapted from a play written by Madhuri Shekar, incorporates personal elements from Sethi’s life with his partner, Soni. "I was closeted until around six years ago," Sethi shared, explaining how his love story with Soni influenced the film’s narrative.

The movie features Indian actor Harish Patel as the father and Indian-American comedian Zarna Garg as the mother of the lead character. The film explores how the family responds to Naveen's sexuality. "You can tell there’s discomfort, but not sheer opposition," Sethi explained.

Sethi hopes the film will resonate with a broad audience, including in India. He believes that films with specific cultural contexts often have universal appeal. "I don’t think it will be as simple as gay people loving the movie... the more specific you make them, the more people they end up appealing to," he said.

With its focus on love, family, and acceptance, A Nice Indian Boy includes a traditional Indian wedding, though Sethi himself prefers a more modest wedding for his own life. "Both of us are shy in different ways... I would prefer a modest one,” he said.

(With inputs from PTI)