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A Nice Indian Boy is a 2025 romantic comedy directed by Roshan Sethi and adapted from Madhuri Shekar’s stage play. The film centres on Naveen Gavaskar, an Indian-American doctor who brings his fiancé, Jay Kurundkar, a white man adopted by Indian parents, to meet his traditional family.
The cast is led by Karan Soni as Naveen and Jonathan Groff as Jay, supported by Sunita Mani, Zarna Garg, and Harish Patel. The film premiered at South by Southwest on March 12, 2024, and was later released in U.S. theaters on April 4, 2025. The narrative explores cultural intersections and generational differences within the framework of a modern Indian-American family.
The performances have drawn attention for their portrayal of nuanced family dynamics. The film, which runs for 96 minutes and produced by Wayfarer Studios and Levantine Films, was also screened at the BFI London Film Festival. Below is a full list of the cast in A Nice Indian Boy.
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The main cast of A Nice Indian Boy
The primary cast of A Nice Indian Boy includes:
- Karan Soni as Naveen Gavaskar
- Jonathan Groff as Jay Kurundkar
- Zarna Garg as Megha Gavaskar
- Harish Patel as Archit Gavaskar
Karan Soni as Naveen Gavaskar
In A Nice Indian Boy, Karan Soni plays the protagonist Naveen Gavaskar, a reserved Indian-American doctor navigating the complexities of love, identity, and family expectations. Recently out, Naveen finds himself conflicted between his deepening relationship with Jay, a white man adopted by Indian parents, and the cultural boundaries set by his traditional household.
Soni’s portrayal emphasizes the quiet emotional weight carried by someone who feels deeply but is hesitant to express vulnerability. His internal conflict forms the emotional core of A Nice Indian Boy, as he attempts to reconcile the version of himself known to his family with the person he is becoming through his relationship.
As per IMDb, Karan Soni was born on January 8, 1989, in New Delhi, India. He began his film career with the short film Kaka Nirvana in 2010. Soni gained wider recognition for his role as Dopinder in Deadpool (2016) and its 2018 sequel.
His performance in Coming Out with the Help of a Time Machine earned him Best Actor awards at both the Yellowstone International Film Festival (2022) and Screen Power Film Festival (2021). He was also nominated at the 2012 Gotham Awards for Safety Not Guaranteed.
Jonathan Groff as Jay Kurundkar
In A Nice Indian Boy, Jonathan Groff plays Jay Kurundkar, Naveen’s fiancé, a white photographer adopted by Indian parents, who are deeply rooted in Indian culture despite his racial background. Jay’s extroverted and emotionally expressive personality often conflicts with Naveen’s more reserved nature.
Jay’s background creates tension not around Naveen’s s*xuality, but around preconceived notions of race and cultural belonging. Groff’s portrayal emphasizes these contrasts, highlighting how Jay’s openness challenges both Naveen and his family’s expectations.
His character brings energy and complication to the central relationship dynamic in A Nice Indian Boy, particularly as the couple navigates family introductions and the prospect of marriage.
According to IMDb, Jonathan Groff was born on March 26, 1985, in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. He has worked extensively across film, television, and stage. Groff earned recognition for roles in Glee, Hamilton, and Mindhunter, and has been nominated for multiple Tony Awards, Grammy Awards, and a Primetime Emmy.
He gained a Tony nomination in 2007 for Spring Awakening and is known for his portrayal of King George III in Hamilton. Groff is of German and Swiss-German descent and remains active in both stage and screen work.
Zarna Garg as Megha Gavaskar
In A Nice Indian Boy, Zarna Garg plays Megha Gavaskar, a supportive yet controlling mother who struggles to maintain emotional closeness with her son. Megha accepts Naveen’s s*xuality, but her desire to stay involved in his life often leads to tension.
Garg’s portrayal captures the nuances of immigrant parenting, balancing humorous delivery with moments of honest emotional concern. Through Megha, A Nice Indian Boy depicts cultural adaptation, generational gaps, and the complexities of maternal love.
Zarna Garg, who made her acting debut in A Nice Indian Boy, is best known for her work as a stand-up comedian. As reported by IMDb, she was born in Mumbai, but later moved to New York, where she built a comedy career.
She has performed widely, including at the Comedy Cellar, and her upcoming Hulu special Practical People Win follows her previous release One in a Billion. Garg also hosts the Zarna Garg Family Podcast and has a sitcom in development with CBS, produced by Mindy Kaling and Kevin Hart.
Harish Patel as Archit Gavaskar
In A Nice Indian Boy, Harish Patel plays Archit Gavaskar, a quiet and introspective father who grapples with understanding his son’s life while maintaining traditional values.
Unlike stereotypical portrayals of disapproving parents, Archit does not reject Naveen’s s*xuality but instead reflects a deeper, generational disconnect. Patel brings emotional weight to the role through understated expressions of concern and internal conflict, portraying a man torn between tradition and connection.
Harish Patel was born on July 5, 1953, in Mumbai, Maharashtra. His career spans across Indian cinema and international projects. He is known for roles in films such as Andaz Apna Apna (1994), Run Fatboy Run (2007), and Marvel’s Eternals (2021).
Patel has also performed in theatre, including a portrayal of Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet at Shakespeare’s Globe and Eeshwar Dutt in Rafta Rafta at the National Theatre in London.
Supporting cast and their characters
- Sunita Mani as Arundhathi Gavaskar
- Peter S. Kim as Paul
- Sas Goldberg as Billie
- Sean Amsing as Neel
- Jason Bradstock as Polly Parton
- James Cousineau as wedding guest
- Keith Dallas as head nurse
- Dhirendra as wedding planner
- Devinder Dillon as Pandit
- Pete Graham as cranky doctor
- Balinder Johal as ancient grandmother
- Seth Ranaweera as Manish's dad
- Tyler Roberge as bro
- Ryan Roopnarine as groomsman
- Sachin Sahel as Manish
Production, direction, and plot details
A Nice Indian Boy is directed by Roshan Sethi and written by Eric Randall, based on Madhuri Shekar’s stage play of the same name. The film is produced by Justin Baldoni, Renee Witt, and Charlie McSpadden, with Karan Soni also serving as an executive producer.
The film premiered at SXSW on March 12, 2024, and was released in U.S. theaters on April 4, 2025, and distributed by Blue Harbor Entertainment. The cinematography is by Amy Vincent, with music composed by Raashi Kulkarni and editing by Stephanie Kaznocha.
The story follows Naveen Gavaskar, a quiet Indian-American doctor, who introduces his white fiancé Jay Kurundkar, adopted by Indian parents, to his traditional family. The plot revolves around the personal and cultural challenges that surface as the couple prepares for their Indian wedding.
Roshan Sethi, who also practices medicine part-time, described the project as personal, stating during a Screen Rant interview published May 16, 2024.
“We’re life and romantic partners, so it was a great way for us to tell a story that meant a lot to us personally, but was also fun and entertaining,” he stated.
A Nice Indian Boy was shot in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Stay tuned for more updates.
