Based loosely on Kaling’s experiences growing up as a first-gen Indian American, the series was co-created by Kaling with Lang Fisher and follows an Indian-American teenager as she navigates high school in California. Devi Vishwakumar, played by the incredible Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, gets into the usual kinda scrapes you expect in a high school TV show—unrequited crushes, attempts at 'popularity' and wobbly tests of her friendships.
What sets the show apart though, is how it portrays her doing all this while dealing with the cultural expectations of a Hindu Indian-American teenage girl, expectations that come from both her family and herself. The show also bucks the usual stereotypes of ethnic characters—East Asian characters aren't quiet math nerds, they're the popular jocks and drama nerds. Devi is an intellectual force, but she also struggles with her short-temper and teenage horniness. There's a bit of depth going on here, you know?
“Nerds are not only the wallflowers and the quiet ones,” Kaling said of Devi's character, “We’re ambitious, we have obnoxious personalities sometimes, we want to have sex and dreams like all the other kids.”
Ramakrishnan will reprise her role as Devi, and the returning Never Have I Ever cast includes Darren Barnet (also of shirtless viral TikTok fame), Poorna Jagannathan, Richa Moorjani, Jaren Lewison, Lee Rodriguez, and Ramona Young. The first season of Never Have I Ever followed Devi's emotional journey as she grappled with the loss of her father and we're excited to see what'll make us ugly cry on the couch in season two.
You can watch the cast's cute reunion and the announcement of Never Have I Ever season two below. Given the COVID-19 situation, there's no news yet on a release date, but all of season one is available to stream on Netflix. Oh, btw, Maitreyi has bangs now.
