Noivo à indiana

Saw this film last night...so so good. Will make you laugh and cry and will leave you just feeling good. The performances are amazing, and the story is just spot on wonderful. Given how crazy the world is right now, I can't think of a better way to spend 90 minutes.

So, if tariffs have you down and you are feeling depressed, or if you are a diehard MAGA, this is a movie that might help to bring people of all political views a bit closer together and think about the things that we have in common vs. Drive us apart. After all, everyone wants to believe in love and happy endings and we all have crazy families that intermittently drive us crazy and then fill us up with warmth and comfort. Go support an indie film. You won;t regret it!

I learned about this film from social media a few months ago after a film festival, so I decided to watch it on opening weekend. I expected a cute, but maybe not particularly interesting rom-com, with a dash of the immigrant family wackiness of so many comedic films. Paying for this movie ticket was the best investment in mental health of the past six months, and I'm delighted to say this movie is nearly perfect. The script is very good, based on a play that I later learned is loved by the U. S. South Asian community. The direction is simply stellar and allows the excellent writing and inspired performances to breathe and reach the audience. The delineation of the script into clear parts, each of which (in some sense) represent the typical act structures of films is clever, especially because in many ways the conflicts and resolutions happen in unexpected places within that structure. I loved the performances by the romantic couple, and the family, which is in many ways the "entity" one half of the romantic couple has to win over, and the entity the other half of the couple must be won by, if that makes any sense. For queer immigrants, or queer children of immigrants from cultures that cultural researchers call collectivist and family-centered, this film will speak loudly and make them feel seen and understood. There are some very special moments between each member of the family and the members of the romantic couple, and in some ways, the audience. In my screening, one particular speech by one family member had the whole room sniffling in suppressed tears. The best part is that all the touching parts of the film are elegant, not schmaltzy or cheesy, and they are well-balanced with hilarious moments and clever humor. The characters could have been caricatures and stereotypes, and the film revels in preventing that, creating fully realized people whose behavior and feelings are explained by motivations and experiences that are not immediately evident. Congratulations to the whole production team, cast, and everyone involved. Thank you for such a beautiful film!

...so much wasted potential!

First, I'm excited that queer cinema is becoming more interracial and transcultural. These are the other stories worthy of exploring and showcasing. These intersections allow for great storytelling but alas, it's wasted here. I wrote this review as someone who is half black and Indian.

Naveen is so incredibly repressed (which is okay at first considering the cultural aspect) but the character goes nowhere. Jay's adoptive storyline could have been excluded as it brought absolutely nothing to the story. There's also no chemistry between either of them. What attracts these men to each other? What are their conversations besides awkward silence and the occasional disagreement? We see quick flashes of their dating lives which pretty much went from a snooze to a bore.

I get this was supposed to be a queer Bollywood rom-com but I'm so disappointed in the wasted potential. I only found myself mildly amused in the later 30 minutes of the film - perhaps because I saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

Most people will probably disagree with my impressions of the film, and that's okay. But I do sincerely hope that this will not be the end of these types of films - just better scripted and acted. The potential WAS there.

Rarely does a film come along that is as effortlessly charming, deeply heartfelt, and laugh-out-loud funny as A Nice Indian Boy. This beautifully crafted romantic dramedy takes a fresh, sincere, and utterly delightful look at love, family, and cultural expectations-all wrapped in a warm, feel-good package that will leave audiences smiling long after the credits roll.

Directed with an intimate yet playful touch, the film follows Naveen, a young Indian-American man whose picture-perfect romance with the charismatic and kindhearted Keshav is complicated by one thing-convincing his traditional parents that this is, indeed, their nice Indian boy. What unfolds is a story brimming with wit, warmth, and moments of pure emotional resonance as Naveen and Keshav navigate family, tradition, and the beautifully messy journey of love.

A joyful, poignant, and utterly captivating film, A Nice Indian Boy is a triumph-one that deserves to be celebrated and cherished.

A Nice Indian Boy surprised me with how genuinely heartfelt and grounded it felt. The film doesn't try too hard-it just lets its characters breathe, and in doing so, it creates something tender and relatable.

The story strikes a delicate balance between cultural tradition and personal identity without feeling heavy-handed. What really stood out was the sincerity of the performances-there's warmth, humor, and real emotional depth, especially in the quieter moments.

It's a film about love, yes, but also about family, expectations, and the messy, beautiful process of learning how to be true to yourself. I appreciated that it didn't wrap everything up too neatly, yet still left me with a sense of hope.

Not every beat is perfect, and some scenes could've been tighter or more dynamic-but overall, it's a story that stays with you in a gentle, meaningful way.

Bottom line: Thoughtful, well-acted, and quietly moving. Definitely worth watching.