Acting

Poorna Jagannathan

Poorna Jagannathan (/ˈpɔːrnə ˌdʒɑːɡəˈnɑːθən/ POR-nə JAH-gə-NAH-thən; born December 22, 1972) is an American producer and actress of Indian descent. She is known for her portrayal of Safar Khan in the HBO drama miniseries The Night Of and for her role as Nalini Vishwakumar in the Netflix teen comedy series Never Have I Ever.  Jagannathan also co-conceived, produced, and acted in the play Nirbhaya, considered "one of the most powerful and urgent pieces of human rights theatre ever made," and is regarded as a critical moment in India's history of women's empowerment. Jagannathan was named among the "Top 100 Most Impactful Asians" in America in 2021 and 2022 by Goldhouse. People magazine featured her in their 2024 "The Beautiful Issue", while Verve magazine named her among the top 50 most powerful women in India in 2014.