Now, Nanjiani is starring in the Judd-Apatow-produced feature The Big Sick, which is based on his own life. He’s effectively playing himself, and, cards on the table, it makes for a wonderful piece of cinema. It’s a comedy that juggles belly laughs and genuine emotions with precision. It’s not all laughs, though: the premise is a devastating one. Kumail and Emily (Zoe Kazan) are going somewhat steady, but one big falling out breaks them apart. A while later, Kumail is called to a hospital and informed that Emily has a tough-to-diagnose disease, and that she’s being put into a medically induced coma. So much hasn’t been said between them, and now she’s being put to sleep for an un-guessable amount of time. Emily’s parents (played by Holly Hunter and Ray Romano) turn up, setting up an intense second act. Personalities clash at first – not least because Emily was brutally honest with her folks about the breakup – which provides some hefty chuckles. But then something really heart-warming emerges: sofas are slept on, comfort food is eaten, and awkward evenings are spent together, as the three people closest to an unconscious young woman form something of an alliance in support of her. You can tell that Nanjiani is drawing on his real experiences here. He puts in a multifaceted performance, showing an emotional range that extends far beyond what we’ve seen from him before. A thoughtful subplot about Kumail’s family, and their desire to set up an arranged marriage, gives him plenty to work with (as well as adding vital context to the central breakup). Another subplot, about Kumail’s attempts to break into stand-up comedy, feels a bit superfluous by comparison. The gigs play an important part in some bookending scenes, but, during the second act, scenes in the comedy club begin to drag a little. Without them, the film could feel punchier. As it is, there is a bit of a drag at points. The script is mostly great, and the direction from Michael Showalter matches the material. Not showy or eye-catching, perhaps, but he succeeds in capturing some stellar, emotionally resonant performances. Nanjiani is very much the star (and he deserves to get more work off the back of this), but the rest of the cast impresses, too: Hunter and Romano bring layers to their parental roles; Zenobia Shroff plays Kumail’s mother with humour and heart; and Kazan does amazing work despite lying down with her eyes closed for a chunk of the movie. Her sparky scenes outside of the coma provide the charming, beating heart of the piece. It’s also worth mentioning the real life Emily V Gordon, who wrote the script with Nanjiani. It can’t have been easy trudging back through this period in their lives in search of gags, but we’re very glad that they did. The result is an excellent comedy film: one that deals with various sorts of love, packs in an awful lot of laughs, and has an important undertow about human understanding. The Big Sick is in cinemas on July 28th.