The hit 2017 romantic comedy, The Big Sick, starring Kumail Nanjiani, was inspired by the start of his relationship with his wife of 19 years, Emily V. Gordon.
The film, which Rotten Tomatoes ranked as the 130th best movie of all time, focuses on Kumail as he navigates interfaith and interracial dating with Emily, played by Zoe Kazan. Kumail’s feelings deepen when Emily is struck by a sudden illness, and doctors decide the best course of action is for her to be in a medically induced coma.
In a February 2018 interview with CBS Sunday Morning, Nanjiani and Gordon discussed co-writing the movie, which snagged them an Oscar nomination for Best Original Screenplay. According to Nanjiani, the script follows their real-life love story closely.
“Typical boy, meets girl, boy keeps girls secret from family because he’s supposed to get arranged married and then she gets really sick and has to be put into a coma story,” quipped Nanjiani in the interview.
Nanjiani also shared how he revealed he was dating Emily to his parents in real life. He said that he let it slip out that he was seeing someone who was not of his family’s Muslim faith while Gordon was in her coma.
“One time they called and I just answered and I think I was just too tired and I think I just cried on the phone and I said, ‘I’m really sorry to tell you this, but I’ve been dating this girl and she’s in a coma right now. She’s very, very sick.’ And my mom’s initial reaction immediately was like, ‘Is she going to be okay?'” recalled the comedian.
Nanjiani said after Gordon recovered, his mother told him he needed to either end their relationship or “get married to her.” The couple wed just months after Gordon was discharged from the hospital.
“The moment that she went under [for the medically induced coma], I remember looking at her and saying if she comes out of this we’re going to get married. And I know it sounds made-up,” said Nanjiani during the CBSSunday Morning interview.