Principal photography has begun in New York on the independent US romantic comedy When Harry Tries To Marry.

Rahul Rai, Stefanie Estes, Freishia Bomanbehram and Osvaldo Chavez Hernandez star in the tale of an Indian-American college student who shocks his assimilated Indian family when he insists on an arranged marriage.

Caitlin Gold, Zenobia Shroff and Tony Mirrcandani also star. Nayan Padrai is directing from an original script he co-wrote with Ralph Stein.

Padrai, Sheetal Vyas, and Ritu Ahuja will produce through their 108 Production label and filming will relocate to Mandvi in Indian from December 1-14.

The producers plan to commence sales in Cannes on When Harry Tries to Marry, which featured at the Sundance Institute Independent Producers’ Conference and was a member of the Winners’ Circle at the Texas Film Institute Screenplay Contest.

“Harry is a very contemporary American guy until it comes to the subject of love and marriage,” says Padrai. “Then, his fear of making the wrong choice inspires him to resort to something that baffles his friends and family, and their reactions as they try to ‘help’ him are pretty funny.

“Although the events revolve around a family whose roots are in India, the story is really universal, and so is the humor.”  

Vyas added that while arranged marriages have featured in cinema before, this was the first film that would focus on the man’s point of view.