U.K.-Asian Romance ‘My Indian Boyfriend’ Taps Sushant Shekhar, Reveals Cast at Cannes Market (EXCLUSIVE)

London-based actor Sushant Shekhar has been cast as the male lead in “My Indian Boyfriend: The Golden Mile,” Vijay Chauhan’s U.K. remake of the Hong Kong romance, with the production unveiling its wider supporting cast at the Cannes Film Market.

A graduate of the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama’s MA in Acting (Contemporary) program – eith additional training at the Fontainebleau School of Acting – Shekhar is represented by Simon & How Associates. He will play Krishna, a British-Indian dancer pulled between the weight of family expectation and his own ambitions. The role marks his feature film debut. His stage credits include Jonathan Kent’s “Indian Ink,” “Sophia” with Eastern Angles, and “Je L’Aime” with Blue Fondue.

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“I’m deeply grateful to everyone involved in the production for entrusting me with the opportunity to portray Krishna,” Shekhar tells Variety. “Opportunities like this are truly rare in an actor’s journey, and I’m committed to approaching this collaboration with great care, respect, and intention alongside such an incredible team of creatives. For me, this is only the beginning, and my entire focus is now on the work ahead.”

Jolene Tiong, confirmed as the female lead at Hong Kong FilMart earlier this year, plays Jasmine, an architecture graduate whose relationship with Krishna unfolds over a transformative summer in Leicester, set against the city’s Diwali celebrations.

Malaysian actor Chacko George Vadaketh joins the production as Krishna’s father. Represented by Fly Entertainment, Vadaketh’s work spans film, television, theatre, and live events across Malaysia, Singapore, and the U.S. His television credits include “The Bold and the Beautiful,” “Strike Back,” “Mr Kiasu,” “In Plain Sight,” “The Bridge,” and “Keluarga Baha Don,” with film work spanning “The Assistant,” “Princess of Mars,” “Entrapment,” and “magiK.” He served on the board of Malaysia’s National Film Development Corporation (FINAS) from 2023 to 2025 and holds a law degree from the University of Cambridge and a Barrister-at-Law qualification from Lincoln’s Inn.

Rounding out the announced supporting ensemble are Adryne Caulder-James, whose recent stage work includes “Treasure Island” at Bristol Old Vic; Jennifer Jade, whose screen credits include “Mother Tongue,” “The Faerie Queene,” and Amazon’s “Expats”; and Arun Sharma, who is currently sitting his A-level exams. Caulder-James and Jade are represented by Victoria Lepper Associates.

“Due to the project’s local/global ambition, the casting was carefully crafted rather than through a conventional process. We are very pleased to have found Sushant after endless nights of internet surfing – he IS our Krishna!” executive producer Hiu Man Chan tells Variety.

Joining Chan on the executive producer team are Amita Krishna and Djonny Chen, who previously worked on “High Wire,” starring Isabella Wei of “1899,” alongside Sri Kishore, who wrote and directed the original Hong Kong film.