Netflix’s “Never Have I Ever” is all set for a final lap.
As the show comes to an end, actress Poorna Jagannathan, who plays protagonist Maitreyi Ramakrishnan’s mother on screen, spoke with ET Canada’s Keshia Chanté, describing what the show means to the South Asian audience watching it overseas.
“When you center (a show) on people who have always been in the margins, it means something to the viewer. It means they can also be the hero of their own story. So it’s a huge, huge impact. And we started hearing how so many people who ‘wish I had this show growing up,’ including us.”
“Yeah, including us. And it’s just that, like when I imagine being a young girl coming into the world now and seeing so many mirror reflections of yourself everywhere,” she added.
Jagannathan’s portrayal of Dr. Nalini Vishwakumar, mother of high schooler Devi — caught between her Princeton dream and famous boyfriend — has won a million hearts. Memes of Nalini’s strict and soft parenting have flooded the internet since season 1, and her character has been described as relatable by many Indians living abroad.
“It’s been so important for all of us. We’ve all grown with the show, but we’ve all really grown with the characters, and they mirror what’s been happening in our life as well,” says Jagannathan. “You know, I have a 16-year-old on his way to college, and Richa (co-star Richa Moorjani) was just saying how she kind of feels like she’s come into her own with the character as well. So, it’s just it’s a beautiful reflection of who we are.”
READ MORE: Maitreyi Ramakrishnan Explains How ‘To All The Boys’ Helped ‘Never Have I Ever’ Become ‘A Thing’
Richa Moorjani, who plays Jagananthan’s onscreen niece Kamala Nandiwadal, also adds, “It’s (“Never Have I Ever”) literally changed our lives in so many ways. But it’s also changed the industry for South Asians and for people of colour.”
Moorjani’s Kamala has a fan base of her own. Her character constantly fights off her family’s desire to find her a good match from the South Asian community (think “Indian Matchmaking”) while fighting hard to prove her worth at work.
“It’s the success of this show globally that has shown the industry that you can have a show like this and center characters who look like us. And it will be successful when people do want shows like this. And that’s why I think other shows are being able to be greenlit because they’ve seen the success of this show,” Moorjani adds.
The fourth and final season of “Never Have I Ever”, brainchild of Mindy Kaling, streams on June 8.
