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Deadpool Star Karan Soni and Mindhunter's Jonathan Groff Share Why Bollywood 'Feels So Gay' Amid A Nice Indian Boy Release
A Nice Indian Boy cast, Jonathan Groff and Karan Soni talk Bollywood's queer vibes and a backstage romance that brings real depth to their brand new gay rom-com.
Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff are all set to treat the audience to a big Indian gay wedding in their latest romantic comedy, A Nice Indian Boy. The film is now playing in the US and also stars Zarna Garg, Sunita Mani, Harish Patel, Keith Dallas and more.
Based on Madhuri Shekar's stage play, the movie is already making waves for its emotional story and cultural relevance. Soni plays a physician who has never brought a boyfriend home to meet the family—despite their ostensibly progressive acquiescence. Groff plays Jay, the white boyfriend, who has adoptive Indian parents.
Soni interprets the tale as a cultural balancing act that many Indian-Americans share. Based on observations of himself and others, he found how youth in the diaspora would sometimes push themselves away from their heritage to become part of things—usually out of pressures from society or what they went through previously.
Soni tells Deadline that many Indian Americans distance themselves from their culture due to bullying or other reasons early in life. For Soni, the unique spin to his character comes from the portrayal of culture shock depicted in the movie. Embracing and understanding his culture while a heartwarming love story blossoms made his character special, the Deadpool star adds.
Meanwhile, Roshan Sethi, Soni's real-life partner, directing the movie, has greatly moved Groff. He feels the backstage romance adds depth to the love story that is being filmed. "I loved 7 Days, the movie that Karan and Roshan made. And then, when I found out that they were a couple in real life, it just all felt really extra special," Groff says.
Scripted for the screen by Eric Randall, the movie is also a Technicolor paean to Bollywood—complete with musical numbers, a rambunctious sing-along sequence, and a warm nod to Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (1995).
Per Groff, the flamboyance that Bollywood holds as a culture is pretty gay, a sentiment quite popular among many queer youth on social media. He says, "I had never seen DDLJ, so the movie was a crash course for me in Indian culture in many ways. Loved that movie. Feels so gay. Everything about Bollywood and Indian weddings feels so flamboyant, I should say, to me."
For Groff, who was new to Indian films, the overall look of Bollywood seemed profoundly expressive, party-like, and emotionally complex—so it felt naturally attuned to queer culture.
Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff's A Nice Indian Boy is playing in theaters from April 4, 2025.
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