Why ‘A Nice Indian Boy’ Might Revitalize the Queer Rom-Com Genre in Theaters!

In a bold move, Levantine Films has opted for a cinematic debut of the quirky romantic comedy “A Nice Indian Boy,” indicating their faith in this genre during a time when many romantic comedies are typically confined to online streaming services.

In this movie, the character played by Karan Soni, known for his role as Deadpool, portrays an Indian man who introduces his Caucasian, artistically-talented boyfriend (portrayed by Jonathan Groff, a multiple award winner) to his conventional family. When Benjamin Hung, CEO of Levantine Films, initially read Madhuri Shekar’s play that forms the basis for this film, he understood that the narrative was not primarily about coming out of the closet but rather about the journey of blending cultures.

In essence, Hung mentions that he’s drawn towards films that have an inspiring impact and instill optimism in the audience.

Based in New York, indie production and financing company Levantine, known for hit movies like “Hidden Figures” and “Beasts of No Nation,” as well as crowd favorites such as “Blinded by the Light” and “Jerry and Marge Go Large,” teamed up with Justin Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios to co-finance their upcoming film. As Hung stated, “We were ready to start production with or without them.”

Levantine, a New York-based indie company that produced award-winning films like “Hidden Figures” and “Beasts of No Nation,” along with popular titles such as “Blinded by the Light” and “Jerry and Marge Go Large,” collaborated with Justin Baldoni’s Wayfarer Studios on co-financing their upcoming movie. According to Hung, they were prepared to move forward with production regardless of Wayfarer Studios’ involvement.

On Friday, the film titled “A Nice Indian Boy” made its initial appearance in select cinemas nationwide. Despite facing stiff competition from blockbusters like “The Minecraft Movie,” which Warner Bros. has released as a major IP, and Neon’s “Hell of a Summer,” aiming to ride on the popularity of “Stranger Things,” Hung remains optimistic that positive word-of-mouth will help attract an audience for “A Nice Indian Boy.

Prior to the movie’s premiere, Hung explained his reasons for insisting on a theatrical launch, the partnership between the company and Wayfarer Studios, and the ambition of the studios to increase their annual film production.

When did you first come across the play and see the potential for a film adaptation?

Around 2020, Charlie McSpadden, who holds the position of VP of development at Levantine, discovered this play. Our team is drawn to captivating narratives and well-developed characters, especially those that focus on social issues or underserved groups in society. This piece met all our criteria perfectly.

We collaborated with writer Madhuri Shekar during a two to three-year project development phase. Midway through pre-production, Wayfarer Studios, our supportive partners, joined in and funded half of the movie to help reduce some financial risks. However, it was primarily Levantine Pictures leading the way, and we were moving forward with or without their involvement during production.

Would Levantine work with Wayfarer Studios again?

Currently, our praises are all they deserve. Given the right opportunity, we’d be thrilled to collaborate with them once more.

How does ‘A Nice Indian Boy’ fit into Levantine’s brand ethos and the projects you want to make going forward?

In our progression, I aim for Levantine to not just expand its size, but also extend its reach beyond the usual genres we’ve tackled. Our company values revolve around delivering top-tier narratives with captivating characters. Full stop. On our horizon, you’ll find a diverse range of genres: an action-adventure movie, a sci-fi thriller TV series about to hit the market; and a vampire comic book TV series which combines elements from “White Lotus” and “Emily in Paris.” Next, we have “Poetic License,” Maude Apatow’s directorial introduction, featuring Leslie Mann, Cooper Hoffman, and Andrew Barth Feldman.

In the past, Levantine might not have ventured into romantic comedies, but these stories are filled with captivating characters. Expect more of such productions from us in the future. So far, we’ve been releasing one film annually, but my aim is to ramp it up to three or four films each year.

Depending on the success of ‘A Nice Indian Boy,’ is your long-term goal to invest in more queer-led stories?

We’re focusing on variety in our selection of films, aiming to cater to diverse tastes. We strive to create content that appeals to everyone. Some of our productions might have broad commercial appeal, while others will feature more LGBTQ+ narratives. However, we don’t set strict quotas for these stories. Instead, the focus is on creating authentic and compelling stories in a natural, organic way.

Streaming adds an interesting dimension to the conversation as studios aren’t releasing many rom-coms in theaters. What factors made you see the potential for ‘A Nice Indian Boy’ going theatrical?

Following South by Southwest, we received numerous offers from potential partners. However, some of these entities were planning to distribute our film, but they ended up releasing around twenty other movies without fully committing to theater showings.

For this specific project, we opted for self-distribution, collaborating with Blue Harbor Entertainment. Instead of relying on others, we decided to take a risk by trusting ourselves. This way, we can add that personal touch from a marketing standpoint, connect with our industry contacts and partners, and fully support the venture.

Experiencing a film with just one or five individuals doesn’t quite evoke the same sensation as being immersed among a crowd of hundreds in a theater, where laughter and tears are shared collectively.

What were the key demos for marketing? Especially knowing that other queer rom-coms like “Bros,” did not do very well at the box office, what were some major challenges?

Our strategy focuses on reaching South Asian markets as well as a younger demographic. While we expect the more traditional, older generation to eventually join us via word of mouth, it’s crucial not to overlook the significance of the LGBTQ+ community. Additionally, we aim to tap into the audience that appreciates Broadway shows, particularly with the involvement of Jonathan Groff.

Next is Zarna Garg, an emerging talent who will soon debut a pilot on CBS. She’s known for her stand-up comedy specials and has particularly connected with older Caucasian women. This connection has come as quite a surprise during our festival tours, especially at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

We continue to think that this movie falls into the four main genres. Drawing audiences to the theater can be tricky due to marketing a romantic comedy with queer themes, but comparing it to “Meet the Parents” helps. It’s highly appealing to viewers. The success of our marketing strategy hinges on pinpointing the appropriate cinemas for our primary demographic.

Since premiering at last year’s SXSW, what was the strategy to keep up momentum?

Following SXSW, we began contemplating our next steps for the film. It required several months of deliberation, considering our involvement in other collaborations; ultimately, it was a group endeavor to show faith in the project.

Our festival approach was top-notch, focusing on events such as NewFest and the London Film Festival. On the circuit, it’s crucial to aim precisely without flooding the market. We managed to secure some positive reviews and garner plenty of attention, but keeping that momentum going has been a challenge. Director Roshan Sethi and the entire team have been outstanding in their efforts to promote the project. They’ve left no stone unturned in their quest for publicity.

With the current state of the world and attack on queer and trans rights, do you think the future in queer storytelling is in more optimistic rom-coms like ‘A Nice Indian Boy’ and ‘The Wedding Banquet’?

In the play, what captivates us is that it delves less into the theme of self-discovery and more into the narrative of meeting a new person, integrating them into your loved ones, and showcasing diverse cultures. Our preference leans heavily towards productions that are inspiring and instill optimism, providing solace to the audience. We’re primarily drawn to this ‘inspiring optimism,’ but if we find another compelling concept, we won’t turn it down.

Levantine has had films like ‘Hidden Figures’ that were nominated for Oscars, but were also a box office success. Moving forward, is Levantine trying to lean more into commercially viable projects or awards films? Or a combination of both?

The movie ‘Hidden Figures’ was essentially a combination of all the right elements. However, by expanding your reach and building a diverse portfolio, you could strike a balance between commercially successful and award-winning films, ensuring profitability even when the latter don’t perform exceptionally well.

If “Hidden Figures”-like success occurs again, fantastic! However, should we produce a movie that may not be as commercially appealing or financially prosperous as initially planned, we still have other exciting projects in store.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

2025-04-06 05:47