Details
Union:
Union
Area of media:
Feature Film
Network:
Paid?:
Yes
Rates:
Roles are budgeted at scale with 135% buyout (performers who work above Minimum Fees are welcome to audition and will be considered).
Deadline:
May 9, 2023
Callbacks:
TBD
Shooting starts:
May 29, 2023
Shooting finishes:
June 23, 2023
Shooting locations:
Vancouver and environs
Cities for response:
Vancouver
Storyline
A delightful, contemporary tale on Indian marriage from the 21st century. Naveen Gavaskar (Karan Soni) knows what his parents want from him and his sister. They want them to deeply cherish their Hindi heritage, they want them to hold onto all Hindi traditions and most importantly, they want them to rejoice in strictly Hindi marital ceremonies. This proves to be much more difficult for Naveen, given that he is openly gay in a culture where that is sometimes a difficult thing to be. The film begins with Naveen’s sister, Arundhathi having the most textbook Hindi marriage possible, being set up with a good-looking male suitor named Manish, who is a future orthopedic surgeon, with strong Indian descent. Family members share their excitement to Naveen, that he will one day follow his sister with the perfect Hindu wedding, but he worries, that he will never live up to their expectations. One day at the Ganesh Temple, Naveen sees a white, young male with delicate by the alter, that he immediately is attracted to. Later, when seeking a portrait shot for his work in healthcare, Naveen runs into the cute, white male once again, who does the pictures for the photo set. To Naveen’s surprise, the white, young male remembers him. The photographer introduces himself as Jay (Jonathan Groff) and the two agree to go on a date and watch the 90s Bollywood classic, Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge in theatres. Afterwards, Jay reveals to Naveen that he was adopted by Indian parents, who tragically passed. Naveen also reflects to Jay on his insecurities of never having the traditional Indian wedding. Despite their challenges and personal hardships, a relationship blossoms between the two. Naveen feels very strongly about Jay, but he is still scared of the thought of introducing him to his parents, given the fact that Jay is male and he’s white. While Naveen’s homosexuality is out in the open, he still fears that his parents will find any excuse to not accept his male suitors, especially one with a different racial background. Jay picks up on Naveen’s shame in their relationship and the two almost split up, until Naveen dramatically changes his disposition and confidently expresses his love for Jay to his family and all those around him. He even proposes to Jay in a dramatic fashion, singing along to the film they watched during their first date. To Naveen’s surprise, he has the wedding of his dreams, where his family and friends come to honor their love and still abide by Hindu principles. This is a captivating story on changing traditional norms, having acceptance in who you are and pursuing a life of happiness. Karan Soni (NAVEEN) and Jonathan Groff (JAY) attached as leads.
Roles
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Supporting | MEGHA | Female 50 - 60 Years old |
Description Please submit South Asian actors only. Megha Gavaskar is the cheery mother of Naveen and Arundhathi and loving wife to Archit. She nags Naveen with phone calls a little more than he likes and later we learn it's because she fears for his happiness and wants him to feel that she's always there for him. She tries to instill in her children that marriage is not just about passion, but also takes hard work and commitment. She has a very touching speech at the end of the film at Naveen's wedding about how her relationship with Archit continues to grow and will never stop growing, hoping for the same wonderful future for her son. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Principal | PANDIT KUMAR | Male 50 - 70 Years old |
Description Please submit South Asian actors only. Pandit Kumar is a close friend of Archit's and is the religious priest at their Ganesh temple. He hosts a beautiful ceremony for Arundhathi and Manish's wedding and goes on to host Naveen and Jay's wedding. At first, he has an aversion to hosting a gay marriage based on Hindu principles, but has a change of heart, learning that religion must evolve and diversify. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Principal | WEDDING PLANNER | Male 50 - 60 Years old |
Description Please submit South Asian actors only. An older toxic uncle who lacks in social graces. | ||
| Role type | Role | Gender & Age range |
| Actor | ANCIENT GRANDMOTHER | Female 75 - 95 Years old |
Description Please submit South Asian actors only. This grandmother tells Navid he'll be next to get married. | ||