Interview by Carol Wright | Photographer: Kayla James
It has been a few years since we caught up with Nik Dodani. In that time, he has written and directed short films, brought other Desi artists’ projects to light through his program The Salon, and acted in exciting projects such as Twisters and The Parenting. Dodani talked to NYOTA about getting into character as Rohan in The Parenting, working with industry veterans like Brian Cox, and his advice for aspiring actors.
Tell our readers about The Parenting. What drew you to the project?
The Parenting is about this young couple who plan a big weekend getaway at this gorgeous mansion for their parents to meet for the first time. Unfortunately, the parents don’t really get along. And the house is haunted by an ancient demon that possesses my father. The script by Kent Sublette, one of the head writers of SNL, made me laugh out loud. It’s campy, dumb, fun. And also, this cast is just ridiculous.
Although The Parenting takes place in the present day, it has a very 80s feel. Was exploring this mix of the old and new through the film fun?
The film has a fun throwback quality to classic 80s horror comedies like The Evil Dead and Beetlejuice. We shot in Massachusetts in this small town where we were all living in a fully haunted hotel built in the 1700s – literally called The Colonial Inn – which added to that classic horror movie vibe. Our director, Craig Johnson, really wanted to capture that nostalgic feel while keeping the story contemporary. It was like different comedy eras colliding – imagine the styles of Friends, Succession, The Sopranos, and Breaking Bad coming together to have a freaky little gay demon baby. That blend of retro horror elements with modern relationship comedy made it so much fun to work on.
What did you do to step into Rohan’s shoes before filming?
I really thought about all the ways we become alternate versions of ourselves around different people, especially our parents. I also love tackling characters from the outside in – thinking about what the audience will see before I say a word, so I focused a lot on the physical stuff, like how someone carrying that much tension would move or how he’d dress to impress his parents. I’m naturally neurotic, so that part was pretty easy.
Your character Rohan is more high-strung and a worrywart, but Josh balances him and serves as that reminder to mellow out. Did you and Brandon Flynn spend a lot of time figuring out that balance and how you wanted the relationship to come across on screen?
We had our chemistry read over Zoom during COVID, which was bizarre, but somehow, we clicked right away. Brandon and I just naturally fell into this rhythm where his chill balanced my neurotic energy and vice versa. We hung out a ton before and during filming, and he was always looking out for me – making sure people pronounced my character’s name right and talking me down when I spiraled. What makes Josh and Rohan work is that they’re totally themselves together, even when they’re driving each other nuts, which was also very me and Brandon.
Your co-stars are industry veterans, and they dove in and had a lot of fun with the material, especially Brian Cox. Do you have a favorite on-set moment from working with this group of actors?
Seeing Brian Cox butt-naked possessed by a demon is definitely on my career highlight reel. But truly, every single one of these legends brought their A-game, and it felt like a big crazy family off-screen. We’d play games, cook dinners, watch movies, and visit cemeteries, which I think really helped make the on-screen dynamics more fun and real.
Nowadays, so many projects are heavy, and you don’t always get to have fun, but The Parenting reminds audiences that movies can be silly and quirky. Was it refreshing to work on a project like this?
God, yes. It’s camp, it’s gay, it’s funny, it’s spooky, it doesn’t take itself seriously. It’s the kind of thing I love watching these days, so it was really special to make something in this genre.
Recently, you’ve been able to explore creating projects, and your short film Blue Boy was even shown at a film festival last year. Has it felt exciting to be in creative control of a movie from beginning to end?
Being in creative control was both terrifying and exhilarating – every decision falls on you, from casting to the color of a character’s shirt to the type of prop butter to use to the score and everything in between. There’s something so fulfilling about crafting a vision with other artists and seeing it come to life, sometimes exactly as you imagined it and sometimes the exact opposite. It’s made me hungry to direct more, especially projects that blend genres in unexpected ways, like how Blue Boy combines coming-of-age comedy with magical realism.
What advice do you have for aspiring actors?
Write! Do stand-up. Take improv classes. Nothing prepares you for life on set, like making your own stuff or bombing on stage. Don’t wait for permission to be creative. When you have the chance to work with amazing people, listen, watch, and learn. Be kind. Show up on time. Don’t take up too much space, but also don’t be afraid to take up some.