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“Expats” and “Good American Family” star Sarayu Blue has joined the cast of Netflix’s upcoming adaptation of “Unaccustomed Earth,” based on Jhumpa Lahiri’s award-winning collection of short stories.

Blue will play Ruma, described by Netflix as “a self-assured and ambitious Bengali American mother who is the steadfast breadwinner of her family. An accomplished attorney with uncompromising standards, she balances the chaos of a household full of dreamers and artists with unshakable practicality. Her warm smile masks the quiet strain of carrying more than her share, a truth few ever notice.”

She joins previously announced cast members Freida Pinto, Indraneil Sengupta, Adi Roy and Iyla Sundarsingh Mckaig. The eight-episode drama series hails from writer Madhuri Shekar, director Ritesh Batra and executive producer John Wells.

“Unaccustomed Earth” is an “epic, soapy and culturally vibrant drama about a tight-knit Indian American community navigating love, desire and belonging,” according to Netflix. It...

Welcome to Jhumpa Lahiri’s Unaccustomed Earth. The award-winning author’s short story collection is coming to Netflix as a drama series from The Pitt’s John Wells and 3 Body Problem’s Madhuri Shekar, starring Freida Pinto, Indraneil Sengupta, Adi Roy, and Iyla Sundarsingh Mckaig. Sarayu Blue has also joined the cast.

Inspired by the internationally beloved bestseller of the same name, Unaccustomed Earth is an epic, soapy drama about an immigrant community navigating love, desire, and belonging with Pinto (Slumdog Millionaire) at the center as Parul Chaudhury. When a star-crossed romance between a devoted wife and her long-lost love comes to light, a scandalous affair is born and new battle lines are drawn in the elite, insular Indian American community of Cambridge, Massachusetts. Sengupta plays Jai, Roy plays Kaushik, Blue plays Ruma, and Mckaig plays...

Freida Pinto is making a striking return to prestige television with Netflix’s upcoming drama, an adaptation of Jhumpa Lahiri’s bestselling story collection, Unaccustomed Earth. Set within a thriving Indian-American community in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the series explores the tension between cultural expectations and emotional longing.

Pinto will take the lead role as Parul Chaudhury, a woman caught between tradition and a rekindled romance that threatens everything. Based on Lahiri’s Unaccustomed Earth and co-adapted by The Pitt‘s John Wells for the streamer, the series is shaping up to be a deep, literary drama full of heartbreak, identity crises, and generational conflict.

What is Freida Pinto’s Unaccustomed Earth About? Freida Pinto | Credits: Surface / Apple TV+

British-American writer Jhumpa Lahiri’s collection of short stories, Unaccustomed Earth, is getting a Netflix adaptation in the form of a series. Adapted by The Pitt’s John Wells, the show will offer...

Netflix has announced its latest high-profile drama project, Unaccustomed Earth, with acclaimed actress Freida Pinto set to lead the cast as Parul Chaudhury. The eight-episode series is based on the beloved short story collection by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jhumpa Lahiri and will bring to life a sweeping narrative set within an elite Indian-American community in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Described as an “epic, soapy, and culturally vibrant” drama, Unaccustomed Earth explores themes of love, longing, and identity. At its heart is a scandalous romance: a devoted wife rekindles a relationship with a long-lost love, igniting secrets and shifting loyalties in a close-knit immigrant community.

The series comes from showrunner and writer Madhuri Shekar, with direction by Ritesh Batra (The Lunchbox), who will helm the first two episodes and also serve as executive producer. Renowned producer John Wells joins the creative team, alongside a roster of executive producers that includes Lahiri herself, Nisha Ganatra,...

Freida Pinto is set for a major role in Netflix’s upcoming series adaptation of the Jhumpa Lahiri short story collection “Unaccustomed Earth.”

Variety has learned that Pinto will play Parul Chaudhury in the series, which was originally announced in April. As previously reported, Netflix has commissioned eight episodes.

The official logline for the show states that it is “an epic, soapy, and culturally vibrant drama about a tight-knit Indian American community navigating love, desire, and belonging. Rich with nuance, passion, and unforgettable characters, ‘Unaccustomed Earth’ invites you into the elite and insular Indian-American community of Cambridge, Ma. When a star-crossed romance between a devoted wife and her long lost love comes to light, a scandalous affair is born and new battle lines are drawn in this intensely interconnected immigrant community.”

Pinto is perhaps best known for her breakout role in the Oscar-winning film “Slumdog Millionaire,” which marked her feature debut.

Freida Pinto has been set to lead Netflix’s Unaccustomed Earth, a new drama series executive-produced by John Wells, who will also write and showrun. Pinto will play Parul Chaudhury in the 8-episode series.

Inspired by Jhumpa Lahiri’s short story collection of the same name, Unaccustomed Earth is an epic, soapy, and culturally vibrant drama about a tight-knit Indian American community navigating love, desire, and belonging. Rich with nuance, passion, and unforgettable characters, the series invites you into the elite and insular Indian-American community of Cambridge, Ma.

When a star-crossed romance between a devoted wife and her long-lost love comes to light, a scandalous affair is born and new battle lines are drawn in this intensely interconnected immigrant community.

Wells executive produces via John Wells Productions’ overall deal with Warner Bros. Television. Madhuri Shekar writes...

Exclusive: Netflix’s upcoming drama series Unaccustomed Earth, based on Jhumpa Lahiri’s collection of short stories, is undergoing a director change.

Nisha Ganatra has pulled out of helming the pilot episode for scheduling reasons, with Ritesh Batra coming in to direct and executive produce the first and second episode. Ganatra is directing the upcoming movie Freakier Friday, which has had extensive post-production that overlaps with the prep window for Unaccustomed Earth. After opening a writers room in February, Netflix gave the project an official series green light in April.

Ganatra, who optioned the book originally, and was very involved in developing the series, remains as an executive producer. She suggested Batra to Netflix as a replacement, sources said.

Unaccustomed Earth hails from showrunner, writer, and executive producer John Wells and writer/EP Madhuri Shekar. It is about a tight-knit Indian American community navigating love, desire, and belonging. When a...

The critically acclaimed and audience applauded, A Nice Indian Boy is available to stream now and we say “Go Click Play Now”. Directed by Roshan Sethi, the film was written by Eric Randall, based on the play by Madhuri Shekar. A Nice Indian Boy features incredible performances by Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff. The film also boasts an outstanding supporting cast, including Sunita Mani, Zarna Garg, Harish Patel, Peter S. Kim, and Sas Goldberg.

Our story begins with a meet-cute that turns, as love stories are wont to do, into a beautiful journey, at times fraught with tension, but also full of heart, all reaching for a happily ever after (Hea). Naveen is a self-effacing, soft-spoken doctor with a boisterous mother, Megha, seemingly perfect sister, Arundhathi, and quiet father, Archit. The Gavaskars are outwardly accepting of Naveen’s sexuality but have never had to confront it in practice. Then Naveen...

John Wells has been a driving force behind several successful drama shows in the last thirty years. From ER and TheWest Wing to Shameless and Animal Kingdom, Wells has a knack for boarding visionary shows. The seasoned writer, showrunner, and executive producer recently executive-produced Max's hit series The Pitt. He has set his next project, a drama series based on Jhumpa Lahiri's collection of short stories. Unaccustomed Earth has been ordered to series at the global streaming platform Netflix with Wells as executive producer alongside writer/executive producer Madhuri Shekar (3 Body Problem). Deadline reports that writing for the eight-episode season has been ongoing and is nearing its conclusion. The show's official logline reads:

Unaccustomed Earth is an epic and culturally vibrant drama about a tight-knit Indian American community navigating love, desire, and belonging. Rich with nuance, passion, and unforgettable characters, Unaccustomed Earth invites you into the elite and insular Indian-American community of Cambridge,...

Netflix is doubling down on adaptations of classic novels, with the streamer officially greenlighting series version of “The Age of Innocence” and “Unaccustomed Earth.”

“The Age of Innocence” was written by Edith Wharton and was originally published in 1920. The limited series at Netflix is described as a “passionate and heart-rending will-they/won’t-they love triangle exploring themes of freedom, duty, identity and love in all its forms. This fresh take is true to Wharton’s novel but will speak to a new generation as we traverse the ballrooms and bedrooms of these young people, asking the question what is love — and what is lust? And should we ultimately be driven by our heads or by our hearts?”

Emma Frost — known for her work on shows like “The Spanish Princess,” “The White Princess,” and “The White Queen” — will write all episodes and serve as executive producer and showrunner. Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping,...

Timed to World Book Day (which apparently is today!), Netflix has not only renewed its adaptation of Sherryl Woods’ Sweet Magnolias novels, it has announced two new projects — The Age of Innocence, and Unaccustomed Earth — that are based on books.

Hailing from showrunner.writer Emma Frost (The White Queen, Shameless) and adapted from Edith Wharton’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of forbidden love in 19th century New York, the Age of Innocence

limited series is described as “a passionate and heart-rending will-they/won’t-they love triangle exploring themes of freedom, duty, identity and love in all its forms.”

More from TVLineThe...

“The Age of Innocence” and “Unaccustomed Earth” are getting series adaptations at Netflix, the streamer announced Wednesday in recognition of World Book Day. The news came in conjunction with a Season 5 series renewal for “Sweet Magnolias.

“At Netflix, we love when stories transcend the page and light up the screen, allowing fans to experience beloved stories in new and exciting ways,” Jinny Howe, vice president of drama at Netflix, said in a statement. “The impact of these adaptations can be so powerful that it not only captivates new audiences around the world, it also causes a resurgence in popularity for the original source material, with many books returning to bestseller lists many years after their initial release.”

“The Age of Innocence” is a passionate will-they/won’t-they love triangle that explores themes of freedom, duty, identity and love. Based on Edith Wharton’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, the limited series will...

A drama based on Jhumpa Lahiri’s collection of short stories, Unaccustomed Earth, has been ordered to series at Netflix from showrunner, writer, and executive producer John Wells and writer/EP Madhuri Shekar.

The writer’s room has been up and running since February and is close to completion on the eight-episode first season, sources close to production tell Deadline, who have been tracking the show’s progress since early March.

The official logline reads, Unaccustomed Earth is an epic and culturally vibrant drama about a tight-knit Indian American community navigating love, desire, and belonging. Rich with nuance, passion, and unforgettable characters, Unaccustomed Earth invites you into the elite and insular Indian-American community of Cambridge, Ma. When a star-crossed romance between a devoted wife and her long-lost love comes to light, a scandalous affair is born, and new battle lines are drawn...

Netflix is adding two adaptations of prestigious literary works to its series roster.

The streamer has ordered a limited series based on Edith Wharton’s classic novel The Age of Innocence and a drama based on Jhumpa Lahiri’s best-selling short story collection Unaccustomed Earth. Additionally, Netflix has renewed its series Sweet Magnolias, based on books by Sherryl Woods, for a fifth season.

Netflix made the announcements in conjunction with Wednesday’s World Book Day. The two new series come as the streamer is also in production on another adaptation of a literary classic, John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, which stars Florence Pugh.

“At Netflix, we love when stories transcend the page and light up the screen, allowing fans to experience beloved stories in new and exciting ways,” said Jinny Howe, vp drama at the streamer. “The impact of these adaptations can be so powerful that it not only...

The Indian Film Festival of Los Angeles (Iffla) will spotlight the acclaimed stage adaptation of “Life of Pi” during its expanded Industry Days program. The panel “Bringing Life of Pi to Life – From Page to Stage” will explore the journey of transforming Yann Martel’s beloved novel into groundbreaking theater featuring innovative puppetry and staging.

Cast members Savidu Geevaratne, Sharayu Mahale and Sorab Wadia will participate in a conversation about representation, adaptation and the cultural significance of a South Asian-led narrative on Broadway and beyond.

The panel is part of Iffla’s robust two-day industry forum scheduled for May 8-9, 2025, at the Landmark Theatres Sunset in Los Angeles, which has been expanded following last year’s successful inaugural edition.

“Following the tremendous success of last year’s inaugural Industry Day, the expanded Industry Days offers a vital, curated space for visionary creatives from South Asia and its diasporas to connect,...

With A Nice Indian Boy now playing in theaters, we were recently granted an exclusive opportunity to sit down with director Roshan Sethi and his leading man Karan Soni (Deadpool & Wolverine; Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse; Miracle Workers) to talk about the critically acclaimed family wedding comedy.

The real-life couple and frequent collaborators walk me through turning this story into a full-length feature film, crafting authentic Indian American characters, casting Jonathan Groff, working with the incomparable Harish Patel and Zarna Garg, and a whole lot more!

Plus, Roshan also shares a hilarious story of his first time seeing Karan on screen!

The film's synopsis reads, "When Naveen (Karan Soni), a soft spoken doctor, finally brings his charming white-artist boyfriend Jay (Jonathan Groff) home to meet his traditional Indian family, misunderstandings and emotional revelations put everyone on edge. Despite facing uncomfortable truths about their own ideas of love and marriage, the...

Levantine Films is giving A Nice Indian Boy a nationwide theatrical rollout, a decision that runs counter to current trends, where most romantic comedies premiere on streaming platforms.

The film follows Naveen (Karan Soni), a gay Indian-American doctor who introduces his boyfriend Jay (Jonathan Groff), a white artist raised by Indian adoptive parents, to his family. The story begins with a meeting at temple and develops into a wedding proposal that forces both men to address cultural expectations. It is adapted from a play by Madhuri Shekar and directed by Roshan Sethi.

Levantine CEO Benjamin Hung said the story stood out because it focused on family, tradition, and identity rather than a typical coming-out narrative. Soni’s character navigates pressure from both his upbringing and his own hesitation in embracing his heritage. Jay, meanwhile, acts as a cultural mirror—someone whose affection for Indian customs influences Naveen’s view of himself.

Levantine Films is betting on the queer rom-com “A Nice Indian Boy” with a theatrical release — a show of confidence in an era where rom-coms are often relegated to streaming platforms.

The film stars “Deadpool” actor Karan Soni as an Indian man who brings his white-orphan-artist boyfriend (played by Tony and Grammy winner Jonathan Groff) home to his traditional family. When executives at Levantine Films read Madhuri Shekar’s play, they were moved to adapt the project for the big screen.

“Ideally, we’re looking for projects that are very uplifting and give people hope,” Levantine CEO Benjamin Hung tells Variety about how the movie fits into the company’s brand ethos.

Levantine, the indie production and financing company behind awards darlings like “Hidden Figures” and “Beasts of No Nation,” along with crowd-pleasers like “Blinded by the Light” and “Jerry and Marge Go Large,” enlisted Justin Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios to co-finance the film.

Although the future of same-sex marriage feels unclear in the U.S., wedding bells are ringing at the theaters this spring.

Ahead of the release of A Nice Indian Boy, now playing in the U.S. and Canada (preceding Andrew Ahn’s The Wedding Banquet remake’s April 18 release), stars Jonathan Groff and Karan Soni spoke to Deadline about why Bollywood “feels so gay” and what made the film “so fucking special.”

Based on Madhuri Shekar’s play, A Nice Indian Boy stars Soni as Naveen Gavaskar, a gay Indian-American doctor who has never brought a boyfriend home, despite his parents and sister’s outward acceptance of him.

While at temple, Naveen sparks an unexpected romance with Jay Kurundkar (Groff), a white photographer who was raised by two adopted Indian parents. Following their meet-cute, the pair is in for quite the culture shock as Naveen’s new boyfriend teaches him...

Few movie scenes this year are as joyous as the central gay wedding in Roshan Sethi’s A Nice Indian Boy. It comes after weeks of turmoil that Karan Soni’s Naveen faces after falling in love with a white man (Jonathan Groff) and the way his traditional Indian family reacts to it all. The film serves as a unique twist on a familiar classic, driven by an incredible performance from Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse‘s Soni.

A Nice Indian Boy Review

Naveen is a thirty-something gay man feeling lost in his relationship troubles while everybody seems to have it together. It’s not until a chance encounter while praying that he runs into Jay (Groff) that he feels like he’s finally found a partner worth fighting for. After bringing him home to his parents, things quickly fall apart.

The thing is, his family doesn’t seem to...

Editor’s Note: This review was originally published during the 2024 SXSW Film & TV Festival. Wayfarer Studios releases “A Nice Indian Boy” in select theaters Friday, April 4.

I did not have Jonathan Groff singing “Tujhe Dekha To Yeh Jana Sanam” on my 2024 bingo card. The Broadway actor humbly steps into Indian culture in Roshan Sethi’s “A Nice Indian Boy,” which repeatedly connects back to Aditya Chopra’s “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge” — the film that originated “Tujhe Dekha”.

Written by Eric Randall (and based on Madhuri Shekar’s play), “A Nice Indian Boy” is all about subverting stereotypes about Indian culture, both within and outside of the community. The title itself is a cheeky twist on every aunty’s favorite refrain: that when a girl is of the right age, she or her family will find her a “nice Indian boy” to settle down with.

This time, however, protagonist Naveen (Karan Soni...

Movies have always had a way of connecting people and communities, as well as challenging the typical norms of society. While everyone loves a classic rom-com, things go up a notch when a movie tries to break barriers by telling stories that, in one way or another, push against societal taboos, especially when it comes to love, acceptance, and identity.

Roshan Sethi’s A Nice Indian Boy is such a movie that promises to bring a refreshing take on romance by exploring a same-sex relationship, that too with a mix of traditional Indian family values. With changing times, more and more filmmakers have embraced such storylines.

Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff in a still from A Nice Indian Boy trailer | Credits: Blue Harbor Entertainment/YouTube

And if the buzz for A Nice Indian Boy is to be believed, it will not just bring a creative story out in the open...

A Nice Indian Boy has released its first trailer that stars Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff ahead of its theatrical release next month.

Director Roshan Sethi’s romantic-comedy feature hits theaters April 4 from Blue Harbor Entertainment. Hailing from Levantine Films and Wayfarer Studios, the movie also stars Sunita Mani, Zarna Garg, Harish Patel, Peter S. Kim and Sas Goldberg.

A Nice Indian Boy centers on Naveen (Soni), an introverted doctor grappling with introducing his artist boyfriend, Jay (Groff), to his traditional Indian parents amid the possibility of planning a big wedding.

“My parents are super liberal,” Soni says in the trailer. “Just don’t bring up drinking or sex — and no displays of physical affection.”

Later, Groff reflects on their romantic path. “I think a lot of people are a little embarrassed by the bigness of love,” he says. “The family, the wedding — it’s about everybody together.”

Sethi helmed...

Filmmaker and USC alumnus Jason Reitman is slated to receive the Jack Oakie and Victoria Horne Oakie Master of Comedy Award at the seventh edition of the USC Comedy Festival, set for March 28-30 at the campus.

The three-day festival aims to examine the role that comedy plays in shaping popular culture and social movements. The tribute to Reitman, the helmer behind such films as 2024’s “Saturday Night,” 2009’s “Up in the Air” and 2007’s “Juno,” will close the festival and include a Q&a on stage with film historian and critic Leonard Maltin.

USC launched the event in 2011, the same year it established the USC Comedy department with the goal of “championing comedy as a field of university study.” The festival has been held every other year since. This year’s event includes a panel on AI’s impact in the creation of comedy (session title: “Can Comedy Be Automated?...

Which Deadpool Star Is Featured In Justin Baldoni’s A Nice Indian Boy? ( Photo Credit – YouTube )

Justin Baldoni, the multihyphenate filmmaker behind It Ends With Us, is back with a new film titled A Nice Indian Boy. The actor-director remains ensnared in a legal maelstrom since Blake Lively leveled accusations of s*xual harassment and more against him — a controversy that swelled when The New York Times’ exposé turned the cinema realm against him.

Baldoni countered these claims with defamation suits against The Times and Lively and Ryan Reynolds, striving to enunciate his side of the story. He alleges a couple of extortion, bullying, and other misconduct, maintaining that their coercion forced his Wayfarer Studios to capitulate to the Colleen Hoover adaptation, incurring steep losses in ventures as deals soured.

Yet not all is grim for the Jane the Virgin alum! A Nice India Boy, a long-awaited project under his production banner,...

Ahead of SXSW, one of last year's critical darling rom-coms from the event is preparing to charm viewers in theaters. Wayfarer Studios released the official trailer for A Nice Indian Boy showing the awkward, blossoming romance between Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff. Adapted from Madhuri Shekar's play of the same name, the film centers on the Deadpool and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse star's mild-mannered, introverted doctor, Naveen Gavaskar, as he slowly falls for the Frozen veteran's confident and sincere Jay. When it comes time to take Jay to meet his traditional East Indian parents, however, cultures collide, creating "comic misunderstandings, frank fights, and emotional revelations" that shake the family to its foundations.

Exclusive: Independent Artist Group has elevated Nathan DeRemer to Partner, upping Anthony Marotto to Vice-President, Physical Production.

DeRemer began his career at APA in 2013 — prior to the agency’s merger with Artist Group International to form Iag — within three years rising through the ranks to TV Lit Agent. The Berkeley grad quickly established himself as a tastemaker in the department and was promoted to Vice President, Scripted Literary in 2021. In his time at Iag, he’s cultivated an eclectic roster of premium storytellers and brokered numerous multimillion dollar overall deals for clients at HBO, FX, Amazon, and Wbtv. He’s also spearheaded competitive spec sales that led to series orders at AMC and Freeform/Hulu, and recently had back-to-back seasons with pilot production orders at CBS (Jumpstart) and ABC (Forgive and Forget).

Anthony Marotto

DeRemer’s client roster includes House of the Dragon writer/producer Kevin Lau and Found pilot director and EP DeMane Davis,...

Indian marriages go beyond individual assertions of love to include the jostling familial structures of acceptance and refusal. Then there’s the pervasive influence of Bollywood. Bollywood and Indian culture are so enmeshed the two invariably cast themselves against identity and what celebration of oneself may resemble. The yarn of resistance to private desire gets scrambled furthermore once queerness enters the fold. Roshan Sethi’s new film, “A Nice Indian Boy,” unravels this twine, weaving between the modest and spectacular.

Naveen has almost reclined into accepting he, being gay, may never get to have his own big, fat Indian wedding. He’s lonely, terribly tongue-tied at the slightest sight of any probable romantic connection. He has built all these guardrails around him, nervous to admit his desire. As reserved as he is about expressing his feelings, a photographer who instantly captures his heart, Jay is unabashed in his declarations. The...

The romantic comedy “A Nice Indian Boy,” starring Karan Soni (“Deadpool”) and Jonathan Groff is getting a nationwide theatrical release.

Levantine Films and Wayfarer Studios, which produced the film, have tapped Blue Harbor Entertainment to handle U.S. distribution, with a theatrical release date set for April 4.

The film follows Naveen (Soni) as he brings his fiancé Jay (Groff) home to meet his traditional Indian family who, as the film’s logline explains, “must contend with accepting Naveen’s white-orphan-artist boyfriend and helping them plan the Indian wedding of their dreams.” The cast also includes Sunita Mani, Zarna Garg (“Zarna”) and Harish Patel.

“A Nice Indian Boy” is directed by Roshan Sethi from a script penned by Eric Randall, based on the play by Madhuri Shekar (“3 Body Problem” and “The Nevers”).

“I was closeted only six years ago, so it’s surreal on a personal level to have made...

In a recent appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Whoopi Goldberg delivered an update on Sister Act 3, explaining that the death of her co-star, Maggie Smith, necessitated significant changes to the play.

Smith, who played Mother Superior in the original Sister Act movie, died on September 27th at the age of 89, leaving a vacuum in both the storyline and the emotions of fans and cast members.

Commenting on Changes To Sister Act 3

“We’re having to make some readjustments because we just lost Maggie Smith, as you know,” Goldberg shared during the interview. “And so, we will get it done. We will get it done. It’s a shift.”

Her words reflect the bittersweet reality of pushing forward with the project despite the loss of a beloved cast member.

Goldberg and Smith had previously worked together on Sister Act (1992) and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993...

As Whoopi Goldberg prepares to complete the holy trinity of her Sister Act franchise, one late sister will be there in spirit.

The Egot recently gave an update on that Sister Act 3 is still happening after her former co-star Maggie Smith previously died at age 89 in September, but the script is currently being rewritten to adjust for her character’s absence.

“We’re having to make some readjustments because we just lost Maggie Smith, as you know,” she explained on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. “And so, we will get it done. We will get it done. It just is a shift.”

Smith’s sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin confirmed her death in a statement last month, announcing that she “passed away peacefully in hospital,” where she was surrounded by friends and family.

The actress played Mother Superior in Sister Act (1992) and its sequel Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993...

The prize catch of the title isn’t exactly who you might expect in “A Nice Indian Boy,” a romantic comedy that brings a welcome queer angle to that substantial subgenre of love stories tangled up in Indian social mores and cross-generational family politics. In many such films, Naveen (Karan Soni) would be the most desirable of matches for a female protagonist: good-looking, well-spoken and a working doctor. That he’s gay puts him in the less traditionally masculine role of the one seeking a suitor; that his “nice Indian boy” is in fact Jay (Jonathan Groff), a white man raised in Naveen’s culture, is the more complicating factor in director Roshan Sethi’s bright, big-hearted if overly tidy third feature.

Still, Sethi and screenwriters Eric Randall — adapting a stage play by Madhuri Shekar — aren’t out to subvert every trope and tradition in the book. From its meet-cute...

Jonathan Groff singing Bollywood tunes is the centerpiece of “A Nice Indian Boy,” a groundbreaking gay rom-com that’s heating up the BFI London Film Festival.

Director Roshan Sethi and stars Groff and Karan Soni (the “Deadpool” franchise) are challenging Hollywood norms with their cross-cultural love story, which debuted at SXSW. It aims to bring a fresh perspective to both LGBTQ+ and South Asian representation on screen.

The genesis of the project traces back to 2019, when Levantine Films optioned Madhuri Shekar’s play of the same name and Eric Randall adapted it as a screenplay. Sethi came aboard in 2021 after the producers saw his previous film “7 Days.” He then approached his real-life partner Soni to co-star. Groff signed on after watching “7 Days.”

Set in the U.S., the film follows socially-reserved doctor Naveen (Soni) who brings his fiancé Jay (Groff) home to meet his traditional Indian family, who...

Quite often, a wedding isnt for the two people up on the altar, but rather, for their families. In certain cultures, particularly India, weddings are of colossal importance, an indication of the health and stature of a family. So, what happens when this generational pressure of upholding old traditions collides with modern sensibilities? You get a joyous, beautiful, and nuanced film like Roshan Sethis A Nice Indian Boy, adapted by Eric Randall for the screen from Madhuri Shekar's play.

As the voting period for the 76th Emmys opened on Thursday, Gold House debuted its inaugural Gold List, intended to honor outstanding recent achievements in television by Asian creatives.

FX’s Shōgun dominated across categories, winning for Outstanding Series, Outstanding Lead Performance (Anna Sawai and Hiroyuki Sanada), Outstanding Directing, and Outstanding Writing, while at the same time receiving honorable mentions for the supporting performances of Fumi Nikaido, Moeka Hoshi, and Tadanobu Asano.

Other notable honorees included Prime Video’s Expats, HBO’s The Sympathizer, Netflix’s animated series Blue Eye Samurai, the 20th/Hulu comedy Quiz Lady, The Morning Show‘s Greta Lee, and SNL‘s Bowen Yang, with winners being voted on by Asian Pacific leaders in entertainment.

“Asian stories and talent have undeniably taken center stage this year, showcasing a remarkable breadth of narratives and performances that resonate across broad audiences,...

A lot has been said when it came to pre-production updates for Sister Act 3: Kicking the Habit. It was reported back in 2020 that a third installment would be produced for Disney+, to be directed by Tim Federle, with Madhuri Shekar penning the script. It has now been confirmed that the script is finished, and it's only a matter of time before it enters production.

Your browser does not support the video tag. Romance and family drama collide in A Nice Indian Boy as Naveen navigates love, acceptance, and self-discovery. The film showcases the importance of acceptance and love within a traditional Indian family, all while delivering heart and humor. Real-life partners Roshan Sethi and Karan Soni bring a personal touch to the story, creating an emotional and relatable film experience.

Romance is not dead, and A Nice Indian Boy is here to prove it. The film, directed by Roshan Sethi and starring his real-life partner Karan Soni (Deadpool), is a rom-com with a whole lot of family drama thrown into the mix thanks to a multifaceted screenplay by Eric Randall and the backbone of Madhuri Shekar's original play. The story centers on an uptight doctor named Naveen (Soni) who falls for a more free-spirited photographer named Jay (Hamilton's Jonathan Groff) after they...

Mother’s Day weekend 2019 marked a turning point in the young life of Madhuri Shekar.

It all started two years before with a phone call from a woman named Kate Navin, then head of theater for Audible. Navin said she’d recently been armed with money to develop original works from emerging play- wrights, and she was calling to offer Shekar, just a year out of Juilliard, the chance to write. The only catch: Shekar’s play would have to be crafted as an audio-only production.

Shekar’s answer to this challenge was “Evil Eye,” a 100-minute potboiler that revolves around daily telephone conversations between a mother in India and a daughter in Los Angeles. The finished play was released on Audible in May 2019. For Shekar, the impact on her career was immediate. Within weeks, she was negotiating a deal with Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Blumhouse for the movie version...

Naveen & Jay's touching romance is the heart of A Nice Indian Boy. Karan Soni & Jonathan Groff's chemistry shines. The family dynamic adds depth and emotion to A Nice Indian Boy.

There are many romantic comedies released that are neither romantic or funny. It’s a difficult balance to maintain, with the comedy often overpowering any genuine romance, as filmmakers opt for flimsy or superficial pairings. I had that on my mind when I walked into A Nice Indian Boy, a film that perfectly blends romance and comedy and throws in culture and a whole lot of heart to go with it. Karan Soni and Hamilton's Jonathan Groff are pitch-perfect together, and the obstacles they face — internal and family-related — are handled with care and love.

8/10

Self-effacing doctor Naveen Gavaskar meets Jay Kurundkar, a white man adopted by two Indian parents, when Jay takes his picture at the hospital. Despite initial skepticism on Naveens part,...

Walking out of the theater after Ddlj, Jay (Jonathan Groff) launches into a defense of the over-the-top emotionality of Bollywood romances. “I think we’re all embarrassed by the bigness of love,” he declares. His date, Naveen (Karan Soni), is intrigued but skeptical, later recounting the interaction to his work bestie (Peter S. Kim) as a bit weird and kind of corny.

Because A Nice Indian Boy is a rom-com, though, it’s practically a given that Naveen will come around by the end. The film delights in public displays and grand gestures, such that it opens and closes on a pair of weddings. But its real strength lies in its sensitivity toward the messy feelings, smaller acts, and platonic and familial bonds that underlie those epic shows of romance. By the end, even those who don’t fancy themselves the sentimental type — as Naveen doesn’t, and I don...

Author Vauhini Vara’s acclaimed debut novel, The Immortal King Rao, is being adapted for television.

Independent studio Wiip (Mare of Easttown, Dickinson) has acquired rights to the novel — which made several best books of 2022 lists — and will develop it as a TV series. Playwright and screenwriter Madhuri Shekar is set to adapt the story and will serve as an executive producer.

“I worked on this novel for 13 years, during which I often fantasized about the on-screen version I’d get to watch one day: how big and dramatic and genre-twisty I imagined it would be,” said Vara, a former business editor at The New Yorker, in a statement. “That this is actually on its way to happening — and with a dream team of colleagues whose work I so admire, including the visionary Madhuri Shekar at the writing helm — could not be more exciting.”

The Immortal King Rao follows an Indian entrepreneur who,...

If you're still hoping and praying for a third Sister Act movie, you're about to feel extremely blessed - joyful, joyful, even. According to Whoopi Goldberg, the long-awaited threequel is still happening. And that's not all: she already has a dream cast in mind.

During an October episode of "Hell of a Week With Charlamagne Tha God," she shared details about the upcoming project, including the stars she would love to see join the cast. Among her top picks to join the third film? Keke Palmer, Lizzo, and Nicki Minaj. "I'm gonna ask Keke to come. You know, I want everybody to come in. I want Lizzo to come," she said. "I want as many people who want to have some fun because I really, desperately need to have some fun."

"I live for fan casting. The community has me booked, and honey, I'm here for it."

For her part,...

Tyler Perry is giving Sister Act fans an update on where the development of the third installment of the film is at after Whoopi Goldberg talked about hoping to start production of the movie.

“I love the idea of us making this happen but you know, the Hollywood system moves a little slower than I’d like to,” Perry, who is set as a producer of the film, said during his appearance on The View on Sept. 22. “So we’ve got a good script. We’re off to a great start. We’re just trying to get everybody moving in the right direction so we can get it going.”

Whoopi Goldberg Shares Hope To Do ‘Sister Act 3’ With Jenifer Lewis

Goldberg chimed in that it has “taken 20 years” to get Sister Act 3 going and added, “They were sort of lukewarm for the longest time [about making the movie], they said nobody wanted to see...

Whoopi Goldberg is sharing her desire to work on the long-awaited Sister Act 3 that was announced back in 2020. The View co-host welcomed Jenifer Lewis to the ABC talk show and reminded her that they still had the movie pending.

“You know we’re still going to do that movie,” Goldberg told her Sister Act co-star as she sat down on the “Hot Topics” table. “And I’d do everything I can to work with her because she’s fun.”

Lewis said she was “so ready” to film the sequel set for Disney+ and revealed that it was her who taught Goldberg how to sing on the movie set.

“They were going to use my voice and I told Whoopi, ‘Look, you just get in this mirror with the two of us, and you just get a hairbrush and pretend that we’re 15 years old singing Gladys Knight and the Pips,...

The WGA East’s second Showrunner Academy gets underway today, with the 31-member class taking part in a program designed to support television writer-producers, upper-level writers and new show creators in honing the skills necessary to become successful showrunners and TV industry leaders.

The Academy, which provides instruction from current showrunners and other industry professionals on a wide range of topics, is led by Diana Son and Frank Pugliese.

“Being a showrunner is so much more than being the creative voice of the show,” Son said in a statement. “It’s also managing a multimillion-dollar endeavor with over 100 employees. We’re bringing in accomplished and experienced showrunners who’re willing to share the breadth of their experience – the good, bad and the ugly – so new showrunners can have a head start on figuring out what kind of showrunner they’re going to be.

Bus in the nun choir and get ready to sing along with Whoopi Goldberg as she makes her triumphant return in "Sister Act 3." The belated threequel has brought on board Madhuri Shekar ("Welcome to the Blumhouse: Evil Eye") to write the script and Tim Federle ("High School Musical: The Musical: The Series") to direct.

We first heard tell of "Sister Act 3" back in 2018, and at that point Goldberg and her representatives said she wasn't involved, which sort of defeats the whole purpose of "Sister Act." Since then, they've apparently changed their tune. In December 2020 it was confirmed that Goldberg would be reprising...

The post Sister Act 3 Lands Tim Federle to Direct, Madhuri Shekar to Write appeared first on /Film.

Exclusive: The third installment in the Sister Act franchise looks to be gaining momentum at Disney as sources tell Deadline Tim Federle has been brought on to direct with Madhuri Shekar writing the script on the sequel starring Whoopi Goldberg. Goldberg will reprise her role as Deloris, the nightclub singer turned nun, and will also produce the pic along with Tyler Perry. Tom Leonardis is also producing.

The original pic followed Deloris, a nightclub singer who is forced to go into a hiding as a nun at a a convent , and inadvertently ends up turning the convent choir into a soulful chorus complete with a Motown repertoire, until the sudden popularity of the choir jeopardizes her identity. The original pic went on to be a huge hit leading to a sequel in 1993. As Disney continues to try to build up its content on Disney+, the studio has been taking a...

Whoopi Goldberg has provided an update on the upcoming sequel Sister Act 3, which includes a tease that characters from the second movie could also be appearing. For years, Goldberg has been open about her desire to return for another Sister Act movie with fans of the first two wanting to see it happen. It has since been announced that Sister Act 3 is officially a go with the sequel currently in development for Disney+.

In a recent chat, Goldberg touched on the current status of Sister Act 3. Noting that Madhuri Shekar (The Nevers) is writing the screenplay for the sequel, Goldberg says that everyone is on standby waiting for production to start. The actress goes on to tease some returning stars fromSister Act 2: Back in the Habit. Here's what Goldberg had to say about Sister Act 3.

"Marc Shaiman [the franchise's composer] is just waiting. The nuns are all waiting.

Managers Jairo Alvarado, Tony Gil, and Max Goldfarb have partnered to form Redefine Entertainment, a new literary management and production company. They most recently were managers at Circle of Confusion and The Gotham Group. Imani Beal-Ampah joins them as a coordinator.

The partners said: “Redefine Entertainment will be a home for a new generation of creatives. We will cultivate a culture of transparency and empower our clients to better learn the business side of their decisions. We intend to foster community among our clientele, and we are excited to usher in and mentor a new generation of representatives to help us tackle the challenges of our evolving business.”

The company launches with around 60 clients, a list that includes The Farewell director Lulu Wang who is the creator of the upcoming series Ex-Pats for Amazon starring Nicole Kidman; Angel Soto, director of Charmed City Kings for HBO Max and recently tapped...

More than 200 theater writers – playwrights, composers, lyricists, librettists – have joined a nationwide letter writing campaign urging the incoming Biden-Harris Administration to prioritize its commitment to an arts community ravaged by Covid-19. Among other goals, many of the letters urge the administration to create a Department and Secretary of Arts & Culture.

Organized by the non-partisan grassroots coalition Be An #ArtsHero in partnership with The Dramatists Guild of America, the “Dear Mr. President and Madam Vice President” campaign asserts that “the Arts are vital to our nation’s soul and our collective humanity, as well as being an essential driver of the economy.”

Among those writing letters: Jeremy O. Harris (Slave Play), Anaïs Mitchell (Hadestown), Heidi Schreck (What The Constitution Means To Me) as well as V (formerly Eve Ensler), Craig Lucas, Theresa Rebeck, Sarah Ruhl, Marsha Norman, Lynn Ahrens, Zakiyyah Alexander, Jaclyn Backhaus, Bekah Brunstetter, Carla Ching, Vichet Chum, Paul Downs Colaizzo,...