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‘NEVER HAVE
I EVER’ BRINGS
RARE VOICE, AND
A NEWCOMER,
TO TV
When Mindy Kaling was growing up in the
Boston area, few classmates looked like her, and
her television choices ranged from angsty white
teenagers to funny white teenagers.
It helps explain her latest project, the hit Netflix
comedy “Never Have I Ever,” which follows Devi
Vishwakumar, a first-generation Indian American
teen navigating not only her culture and Hindu
faith, but also raging hormones, commitment to
excellence and explosive temper.
“Some old loser was telling me that I was too
Indian,” Devi says in the show’s fourth episode.
“And some other people think I’m not Indian
enough, and honestly all I want to do is eat
a donut.”
It’s a rarity on Western television.
Though “Never Have I Ever” has received
mixed reviews, it has drawn wide praise for its
representation of South Asians. Netflix says it’s
the No. 1 most-viewed show in several countries.
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