‘Nobody Wants This’ Delves into a Rarely Explored Topic

I decided to watch “Nobody Wants This”, starring Adam Brody and Kristen Bell, after reading positive reviews by friends and acquaintances on social media. The synopsis on Netflix initially failed to interest me, so it never made it to my watchlist. However, after going through reviews, I decided to give it a try. “I could always stop if I didn’t enjoy it,” I reasoned. Thankfully, I found the romcom drama refreshing.

I enjoyed the side characters more than the main leads, especially the Jewish family members. They were quirky, hilarious, and surprisingly felt close to home. My country, India, is not exactly the most open when it comes to interfaith relationships. Sure, it is happening more than ever, but some questions persist.

“How will the two adjust to different religious beliefs?”

“Whose religion would the kids inherit?”

“Would we lose our child to another religion?”

These are some common questions that arise in the minds of many Hindu families when their child’s interfaith relationship progresses to the marriage stage.

Netflix’s ‘Nobody Wants This’ interestingly tackles a subject that not many interfaith romcoms have done before – conversion. Should you convert if your partner from another faith insists on it, claiming (or emotionally blackmailing) marriage is impossible otherwise? I will be honest. I do not think one has to sacrifice their identity in love. Requiring conversion as a condition for marriage feels manipulative and unfair. If your partner truly loves you, why would they expect you to change your identity?

I wouldn’t have hesitated to convert for love in my younger days. Back then, love mattered more to me than anything else, even religion. However, as I matured and understood life better, I realized you can follow your heart without leaving your brain behind. You don’t have to bend over backward in love. That’s the beauty of aging – you realize that sacrificing your identity is never an option. Your partner has to accept the way you are.

Yet, some people, unable to disappoint their parents, push their partners to take this extreme step. If they can’t disagree with their parents over an important issue such as the partner’s identity, how will they ever be able to support the partner when issues involving parents over less important matters pop up in the future? Once you let go of your identity, more demands pour in – you are expected to raise your children following only one belief and break off all ties with your “old” religion. It is an overwhelming decision no one should be subjected to, especially on the people you love. One sacrifice is often followed by umpteen other sacrifices.

I am glad this aversion to conversion is gaining traction in India, with many refusing to convert for marriage. In fact, some people are even choosing to end their relationships over it. Why convert when our legal system allows couples from different faiths to marry in court?

The romcom touches on this sensitive topic of conversion and the ideological differences between the two communities. One is liberal, the other conservative. How to tackle differing opinions? The main characters aspire to provide you with an answer.

‘Nobody Wants This’ is streaming on Netflix. It has a total of 10 episodes, with each lasting around 30 minutes.