Gayety and LGBT editor Caitlynn McDaniel hits the red carpet to chat with Ranjita Chakravarty aka Nirmala from 'Never Have I Ever.' Never Have I Ever' is a coming-of-age comedy about the complicated life of a modern-day first-generation Indian American teenage girl. Ranjita says that the show is not just a rom-com with "typical high school shenanigans." Instead, it covers grief, family connection, mental health, and more.
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00:00 This show means so much to the fans, it has such diversity and it just is really, really
00:04 refreshing to see, but what does it mean to you to be a part of this project?
00:08 I think first of all, it's telling such a wonderful story.
00:12 I mean, other than the fact that it's a South Asian story and Indian, which has never been
00:16 shown on Netflix or on mainstream before.
00:21 But the story is so good.
00:23 It's not just a rom-com or it's not just a typical high school shenanigans, it talks
00:30 about grief.
00:32 It talks about how family has to stick together.
00:37 It deals with a lot of issues, starting from teenage issues, making wrong choices.
00:43 Then there is the whole other issue of LGBTQ.
00:47 It deals with depression, mental health.
00:51 It just deals with so much stuff, you know, that I think it was a very cleverly written
00:57 story.
00:58 I think it keeps you engaged.
01:01 And one thing I love about it is, even though it's a South Asian story, Indian story, I've
01:07 had people from all ethnicities come to me and say, they relate to my role.
01:13 I said, really?
01:14 You remind me of my grandmother.
01:16 And it's not Indian people, it could be Chinese, black, Caucasian.
01:19 It was such a relatable show.
01:21 I think that's why I loved it.
01:24 And what is going to be the hardest thing to say goodbye to about this project?
01:28 Of course, you know, the fun of coming on set, interacting with the co-actors.
01:34 And you know, that's the hard thing to say goodbye to.
01:38 And I don't know, you know, when I'll see them again, because I don't live here.
01:42 I live in the Bay Area.
01:43 So all of that.
01:44 It's going to be sad.
01:45 We're just asking fun questions about the cast.
01:50 So who from the cast do you think has the best smile?
01:54 I think Devi has a good, amazing smile.
01:57 Yeah, I mean, Maitreyi.
01:58 Maitreyi has a... but so does Paxton.
02:01 And so does...
02:02 I mean, they're all so cute.
02:03 They're really sweet.
02:04 You know, I just love them.
02:06 You know, Richa, Kamla, she has a million dollar smile, as does Poorna.
02:12 I mean, it's very hard to choose, you know.
02:14 So my smile is not bad either.
02:18 (upbeat music)