Is A Nice Indian Boy based on a true story? Details explored

The romantic comedy A Nice Indian Boy, directed by Roshan Sethi and adapted from Madhuri Shekar’s original stage play, is not based on a true story. The film follows Naveen Gavaskar, a gay Indian-American doctor, as he introduces his white fiancé Jay Kurundkar, who was adopted by Indian parents, to his traditional family.

While the narrative is fictional, it draws heavily from the lived experiences of its creators. Sethi, who also practices medicine, confirmed during a Screen Rant interview published on May 16, 2024, that he and lead actor Karan Soni are real-life partners, and the film reflects aspects of their personal relationship dynamics.

Premiering at the South by Southwest Film Festival on March 12, 2024, and set for theatrical release on April 4, 2025, A Nice Indian Boy has been praised for its portrayal of queer South Asian identity and family relationships.

According to a Newsweek interview dated April 3, 2025, Soni felt the film allowed him to fully express his identity onscreen for the first time, challenging earlier industry advice that suggested suppressing his authenticity.

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A Nice Indian Boy (2024) is a romantic comedy directed by Roshan Sethi and adapted from Madhuri Shekar’s original stage play

A Nice Indian Boy is not based on a true story, but its characters, themes, and emotional beats are deeply grounded in real experiences shared by the film’s creators and performers. Directed by Roshan Sethi and written by Eric Randall, the 2024 film adapts Madhuri Shekar’s stage play of the same name.

The play by Madhuri Shekar, first staged by East West Players in 2014, also drew from her own family life, specifically her parents, to shape the characters of Archit and Megha. As per StageSceneLA, Shekar crafted "refreshingly three-dimensional characters" that never fell into caricature, making the material feel grounded despite its comedic setting.

A Nice Indian Boy explores the complexities of identity, family expectations, and cultural intersections through the story of Naveen Gavaskar, a gay Indian-American doctor, and his fiancé, Jay Kurundkar, a white man adopted by Indian parents.

According to a Variety report dated November 2, 2024, the story’s central conflict lies in Naveen’s fear of introducing Jay to his traditional Indian family, not because of his s*xual orientation alone but also because of Jay’s white identity and overly eager Indian cultural enthusiasm.

As per a Newsweek report dated April 3, 2025, the film’s narrative opens with a scene that resonated deeply with Karan Soni. He recalled,

“I grew up in India going to many weddings just sitting on the sidelines"… "and being like, ‘I'll probably never see a gay version of this.’”

The emotional contrast between cultural rituals and personal longing becomes a cornerstone of A Nice Indian Boy. The film’s storyline features a meet-cute at a temple, a whirlwind romance, and the hurdles of familial acceptance.

Director Roshan Sethi, who is also a practising physician, is in a relationship with actor Karan Soni. According to a Screen Rant interview published May 16, 2024, Sethi said,

“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”

Though the story doesn’t mirror their relationship directly, it allowed them to channel their shared cultural and emotional experiences into the project. The film’s production was wrapped under tight deadlines due to the impending strike in 2023, which, according to Soni, helped build a tight-knit working environment.

It premiered at the South by Southwest Festival on March 12, 2024, and is slated for a theatrical release on April 4, 2025, through Blue Harbor Entertainment. The cast includes Karan Soni as Naveen, Jonathan Groff as Jay, Sunita Mani as Naveen’s sister Arundhathi, Zarna Garg as his mother Megha, and Harish Patel as his father Archit.

As That Shelf review dated April 3, 2025, puts it, A Nice Indian Boy is,

“a queer comedy that celebrates the right to choose who we love.”

The film currently holds a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on early festival reviews, indicating a strong critical reception. With its theatrical release approaching, A Nice Indian Boy aims to continue sparking conversation around cultural belonging, s*xuality, and the definition of family within the Indian diaspora.