Hollywood’s A Nice Indian Boy Earns 98% on Rotten Tomatoes, Yet Remains Unseen in India
New Delhi | April 18, 2025 — While Hollywood critics are swooning over A Nice Indian Boy, a tender gay rom-com starring Karan Soni and Jonathan Groff, Indian audiences have barely noticed its global release. Despite rave reviews and a 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes, the film has yet to make waves in the country whose culture lies at its heart.
Directed by Roshan Sethi (7 Days), the film is an adaptation of Madhuri Shekar’s play and was released in the U.S. on April 4, 2025. It follows Naveen Gavaskar (Soni), a reserved Indian-American doctor, who surprises his traditional Hindu family by bringing home his fiancé Jay (Groff)—a white man raised by Indian parents.
The story of A Nice Indian Boy explores what happens when two cultures, two identities, and two very different families collide over one thing: love. It’s sweet, funny, and heartfelt—and refreshingly avoids trauma or tragedy. Instead, it focuses on awkward temple meet-cutes, emotionally complicated parents, and what it means to find belonging, both culturally and romantically.
Yet, despite the film’s success overseas, including an enthusiastic reception at South by Southwest (SXSW) and strong streaming buzz in North America, its visibility in India has been surprisingly low.
▶️ What ‘A Nice Indian Boy’ Is About
“A Nice Indian Boy isn’t just a queer story—it’s an Indian story,” said a U.S. reviewer on X (formerly Twitter). “It’s full of familiar moments: pooja rooms, meddling moms, mangoes, and the pressure to be the ‘right’ kind of Indian. But it’s told with such warmth and modernity that it feels universal.”
Critics in the U.S. have especially praised the chemistry between Soni and Groff, the witty script adapted by Eric Randall, and the film’s ability to handle complex cultural themes with a light, comedic touch. Stand-up comedian Zarna Garg, in her acting debut as Naveen’s mother, steals several scenes with her mix of maternal love and passive-aggressive jabs.
Director Roshan Sethi, in interviews, noted how rare it is to see gay Indian protagonists in mainstream cinema—especially outside the typical trauma lens. “We wanted to make something joyful,” he said, “a love story where being gay and Indian wasn’t a contradiction but a celebration.”
Still, in India, the film’s marketing has been near-invisible. It’s not on major theater schedules, and local streaming platforms have yet to pick it up. Some speculate that the subject matter may still be considered niche by Indian distributors—despite India decriminalizing homosexuality in 2018 and witnessing slow but growing LGBTQ+ representation.
What’s undeniable is this: A Nice Indian Boy is a quietly groundbreaking film. It breaks stereotypes, brings two iconic actors together, and tells a love story that’s long overdue in both Indian and global cinema. Hopefully, Indian audiences catch up soon.