Poorna Jagannathan

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Poorna Jagannathan
Poorna Jagannathan in 2015.jpg
Jagannathan in 2015
Born (1972-12-22) December 22, 1972 (age 48)
Tunis, Tunisia
NationalityAmerican
EducationUniversity of Brasília
University of Maryland, College Park (BA)
Pace University
OccupationActress
Years active2001–present
Spouse(s)
Azad Oommen
​
(m. 2003)​
Children1

Poorna Jagannathan (born December 22, 1972) is an American actress and producer of Indian descent. She is best known for her portrayal of Safar Khan in the HBO miniseries The Night Of as well for her role as Nalini Vishwakumar in the Netflix teen comedy series Never Have I Ever by Mindy Kaling.

She also co-conceived, produced and acted in the play Nirbhaya,[1] written and directed by Yaël Farber, which dealt with the taboo around sexual violence.[2] The play won the prestigious 2013 Amnesty International Award and was called by The Telegraph as "One of the most powerful pieces of theater you'll ever see".[3] The play is considered one of the most impactful moments in India's history of women's empowerment.[4]

Jagannathan was previously a series regular in the Netflix psychological thriller series Gypsy, a recurring in the Apple TV+ crime drama miniseries Defending Jacob,[5] and part of the ensemble cast for HBO's anthology series, Room 104.[6] She also starred in the cult Bollywood comedy, Delhi Belly as well as the movie Share, which was directed by Pippa Bianco, produced by A24, and released on HBO in 2019.[7]

Jagannathan was featured among the top 10 in Femina magazine's "India's 50 most beautiful women" in 2012 as well as being named by Vogue India as one of 8 Indian women changing the face of beauty. In 2014, Jagannathan was named among the top 50 most powerful women in India.[8] In 2021, she was named among the top 100 Most Impactful Asians by Gold House.[9] She is an occasional contributor to CNN Opinions.[10][11][12][2]

Early life[]

The daughter of an Indian diplomat, Jagannathan was born in Tunis, Tunisia, and grew up in Pakistan, Ireland, India, Brazil and Argentina. She speaks Tamil, English, Spanish, Portuguese and Hindi.[13] She attended the University of Brasília before graduating in journalism from the University of Maryland, College Park. On a scholarship, she studied toward a Master of Fine Arts in acting at the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University.[14] Although she dropped out after the first year, she continued to study acting under her mentor, Elizabeth Kemp, whom she met there.

Career[]

Jagannathan has appeared on several TV shows like Big Little Lies, Better Call Saul and Ramy. She played Blacklister #44 on The Blacklist, and appeared as the guest lead on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit for their 18th year's double-season-finale episodes.[15] In 2017, she played one of the leads in A24's film Share.[16] Share premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival, winning Best Screenplay and Best Actor, and was immediately acquired by HBO.[17]

Imran Khan and Poorna Jagannathan at the success bash of Delhi Belly

Jagannathan also won critical acclaim for her role as a spunky, irreverent journalist in the 2011 Bollywood film Delhi Belly. The Village Voice said that "the most enjoyably subversive element is Poorna Jagannathan as the self-sufficient bachelorette who waylays Tashi on his way to the altar. Rangy, corkscrew-haired, with a wary demeanor that can't long be upset by anything, she's a happy departure from the usual run of Xeroxed, pedestaled beauties."[18] Mumbai Mirror said, "Poorna Jagannathan, an offbeat choice, is remarkably subtle and does a brilliant job."[19] The Daily News and Analysis said that Jagannathan shines in the film, and that "her bohemian sex appeal" is "a refreshing change from the prim and proper 'heroine' we are used to watching."[20] The editor of Outlook Lounge said that Jagannathan's performance was a "masterclass in effortless acting". In 2019, Delhi Belly was named one of the top 25 Bollywood movies of the decade by FilmCompanion.[21]

Jagannathan also acts in theater and is a board and company member of The Barrow Group in New York City. In 2012, Deadline.com reported that Jagannathan had joined the cast of the HBO show The Night Of as a series regular.[22][23] Her performance in The Night Of received positive reviews; Vinnie Mancuso of Observer wrote, "Poorna Jagannathan, who has been putting in one of the year's most heartbreaking performances, continues to shine....."[24] Vikram Murthi from Vulture wrote "Poorna Jagannathan's subtle performance really shines .... Her facial reactions convey such a profound array of emotions."[25] Variety's Sonia Saraiya wrote that her performance was "quietly devastating".[26]

In September 2016, it was announced that Jagannathan had joined the cast of Gypsy as a series regular.[27] The Netflix produced series was led by Naomi Watts but was not renewed for another season. In May 2018, Deadline announced that Jagannathan had joined the cast of the HBO series Big Little Lies as a recurring character named Katie Richmond.[28]

Jagannathan's comic performance in Room 104 was widely praised by critics. Kathryn VanArendonk of Vulture wrote, "But Jagannathan's Divya is even better. Even without a physical presence, Divya is still immediately recognizable as a character. At times she's breezily unconcerned, at other moments, she's sharply chastising her son for his brusqueness. Her delivery is the bedrock of the episode's sense of humor."

She is currently a series regular on Mindy Kaling's new show Never Have I Ever, which released its first season with a 100% and its second season with a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes from its Top Critics.[29] Jagannathan's performance as Nalini Vishwakumar was lauded by critics. Sonia Saraiya from Vanity Fair said, "I’ve seen a lot of actors attempt to flesh out the stereotypically demanding Indian mom, but I’ve never seen anyone do it as well as Jagannathan does... It’s the little things: the nearly untraceable Indian accent, the mumbled exclamations in a different language, the slight gestures and paranoiac side-eyes of the Indian aunty, the seemingly effortless bridging of the paradox between ancient tradition and modern necessity."[30] Jinal Bhatt from Mashable.com wrote, "Poorna Jagannathan has been a revelation in this series, and I’d say she puts forth one of the best portrayals of Indian-American mothers we’ve seen. Some of the #JustMomThings she says penetrate through the screen and hit you while you watch! But her dynamic with Devi is beautiful in the subtext."[31] John Anderson from The Wall Street Journal said that she "is a hilarious mix of Indian tradition, widowhood, creeping Americanization and the flat delivery of a sentencing judge."[32]

In 2018, Jagannathan lent her voice to three podcasts in the Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls series, based on The New York Times Best Seller list books by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo. She read the stories of Mary Kom, Margaret Hamilton and Madam C. J. Walker. The series was named among the 50 best podcasts for 2018 by Time[33] and won the 2019 People's Choice Podcast Award in the Education category.[34]

Before her career as an actor, Jagannathan spent 15 years working in advertising at agencies like TBWA\Worldwide, Ogilvy, and Deutsch Inc. before starting her own consultancy, Cowgirls & Indians.[citation needed]

Moved by a gang rape and murder in Delhi on December 16, 2012, Jagannathan initiated, produced and acted in a testimonial play called Nirbhaya (transl. Fearless, a pseudonym given to the victim).[35] The play uses the rape and death of Jyoti Singh Pandey to encourage discussions about sexual violence. Jagannathan collaborated with internationally acclaimed playwright and director, Yaël Farber, for the same.[36][37] Nirbhaya opened at the Assembly Hall in August 2013 during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.[38] It won the coveted 2013 Amnesty International Award as well as the Scotsman Fringe First and Herald Angel Awards.and received excellent reviews from leading publications. The Sunday Herald called Nirbhaya "One of the most powerful and urgent pieces of human rights theatre ever made".[39][40][41][42] In March 2014, Nirbhaya was the centerpiece performance for Southbank's "Women of the World" festival where it played to sold-out houses in the UK. After a successful Kickstarter campaign to fund an India tour, Nirbhaya opened to critical acclaim in India on March 17, 2014, playing to sold-out houses in Mumbai, Delhi, and Bangalore.[43][44] In August 2014, The Guardian audiences voted Nirbhaya among the top 10 "best fringe moments" in the Edinburgh Festival's history.[45] Nirbhaya opened to rave reviews at The Culture Project in New York City in May 2015, and rose to become The New York Times Critics' Pick.[46] The play toured for three years in multiple cities in Ireland, Canada, the UK, India and the U.S. Many reviewers stated that it was one of the most political and deeply moving pieces of theater ever made.[47] "Nirbhaya" is considered one of the most impactful moments in India's history of the women's empowerment movement.[4]

Filmography[]

Film[]

Year Title Role Notes
2004 She Hate Me Song's Girlfriend
2005 The Weather Man NY Pedestrian
2007 Awake Dr. Neyer's Nurse
2011 Peace, Love & Misunderstanding Mira
Delhi Belly Menaka Vashisht
2012 Thanks for Sharing Dr. Kazhani
2013 Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani Riana
2015 Growing Up Smith Nalini Bhatnagar
2016 Carrie Pilby Fliss
2017 The Circle Dr. Villalobos
2018 Mile 22 Dorothy Brady
An Actor Prepares Dr. Fisher
2019 Share Kerri
2020 Alia's Birth Jaime

Television[]

Year Title Role Notes
2004 Law & Order Rehana Khemlani 1 episode
2005 Starved PJ 1 episode
2006 Love Monkey Director 1 episode
2006 Rescue Me Dr. Klein 1 episode
2006 Law & Order: Criminal Intent Dr. Sikh 1 episode
2008 The Game Dr. Diamond 1 episode
2009 Numb3rs Tech #1 1 episode
2010-2011 Royal Pains Saya 2 episodes
2015 House of Cards Dr. Lanjawni 2 episodes
2016 NCIS: Los Angeles Dr. Nitya Agarwal 1 episode
2016 Rizzoli & Isles Mrs. Jalbani 1 episode
2016 The Night Of Safar Khan Miniseries, 8 episodes
2017 Law & Order: Special Victims Unit Maya Samra 2 episodes
2017 Gypsy Larin Inamdar Main role, 8 episodes
2017 Room 104 Divya 1 episode
2017 The Blacklist Nirah Ahmad 1 episode
2018 Taken Judith Chapman 1 episode
2018 Better Call Saul Dr. Maureen Bruckner 2 episodes
2018 Sorry for Your Loss Therapist 1 episode
2019 The Act Dr. Lakshmi Chandra 1 episode
2019 Ramy Salma 2 episodes
2019 Big Little Lies Katie Richmond 3 episodes
2020 Messiah Sanjana Mirza 3 episodes
2020 Defending Jacob Elizabeth Vogel 4 episodes
2020–present Never Have I Ever Dr. Nalini Vishwakumar Main role, 20 episodes
2020 The Wilds Rana Jadmani 1 episodes

Accolades[]

  • For her performance in Delhi Belly, Jagannathan won the Stardust award for Best Supporting Actress[48] and the L'Oreal Femina Award for Breakthrough Performance in 2012.[49]
  • She was named among the top 100 Most Impactful Asians in 2021 by Goldhouse[50]
  • Jagannathan has been featured on the cover of Harper's Bazaar, Marie Claire, Femina, Jade and Exotica and covered in numerous publications like Vogue, Elle, Cosmopolitan and Grazia
  • In 2014, Verve magazine named her among the top 50 most powerful women in India[8]
  • She was featured in Vogue's October 2012 anniversary issue as one of 8 women who are changing the face of beauty in India
  • Jagannathan was featured among the top 10 in Femina magazine's "India's 50 most beautiful women" in 2012
  • Vogue included her in their list of most stylish women in 2012, 2014 and 2015
  • Grazia awarded Jagannathan the "Best Dressed Award" for 2014
  • She was ranked Most Fashionable Indian Woman by Cosmopolitan in their October 2013 and 2012 issues
  • She was included in Verve's "2012's Best dressed Women" issue
  • Italian Marie Claire named Jagannathan as one of the 12 women from the East impacting Western cinema in 2012[51]
  • She was included in Elle magazine's hot 100 list for 2011
  • She is also a brand ambassador for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
Award Category
Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award 2013 Winner
Scotsman Fringe First Award 2013 Winner
Herald Angel Award 2013 Winner
L'Oreal Femina Women Awards 2012 Winner of Breakthrough Performance
10th Annual Kamala Pasand Max Stardust Awards Winner of Breakthrough Supporting Performance (Female)
18th Annual Colors Screen Awards Nominated for Best Debut Actor (Female)
Zee Cine Awards 2012 Nominated for Best Debut Actor (Female)
18th Annual Colors Screen Awards Nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Female)

References[]

  1. ^ "Nirbhaya presented by Nightwood Theatre 2015" – via www.youtube.com.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b "'Nirbhaya' opens dialogue on rape - CNN Video" – via www.cnn.com.
  3. ^ Laura Barnett (5 August 2013). "Edinburgh Festival 2013: Nirbhaya, review". Telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  4. ^ Jump up to: a b "The most impactful moments in the history of women's empowerment". Vogue India. 26 January 2019.
  5. ^ "Poorna Jagannathan on working with the stellar female cast and crew of Big Little Lies". Vogue India.
  6. ^ VanArendonk, Kathryn (25 August 2017). "Episode Five of HBO's Room 104 Is a Must-Watch".
  7. ^ Lang, Brent (January 26, 2019). "Sundance: HBO Films Acquires 'Share' From A24".
  8. ^ Jump up to: a b "Power Catalyst: Poorna Jagannathan". Verve Magazine. 24 June 2014. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  9. ^ "A100 List".
  10. ^ "Opinion: After bitterly divided election, what's next for America". CNN.
  11. ^ "How to date in 2018". CNN. January 21, 2018.
  12. ^ "Harvey Weinstein is a symptom, but what is the deeper problem?". CNN. October 11, 2017.
  13. ^ Banerjee, Debesh (9 July 2011). "The Belly Button". The Indian Express. Retrieved 2011-08-17.
  14. ^ Appelo, Tim (2012-05-04). "The Hollywood Reporter's List of the 25 Top Drama Schools". The Hollywood Reporter.
  15. ^ "Poorna Jagannathan". IMDb. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  16. ^ McNary, Dave (1 November 2017). "Film News Roundup: Poorna Jagannathan Starring in Pippa Bianco Drama (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety.
  17. ^ "HBO News - HBO Acquires Pippa Bianco's 'Share'". HBO. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  18. ^ Pinkerton, Nick (29 June 2011). "Bollywood Gets Raunchy in Delhi Belly". The Village Voice. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
  19. ^ Anshuman, Karan (2 July 2011). "Effing great". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
  20. ^ Guha, Aniruddha (1 July 2011). "Review: Delhi Belly will have you laughing your a$ off". Daily News and Analysis. Retrieved 2011-07-13.
  21. ^ "25 Greatest Hindi Films Of The Decade | Film Companion". www.filmcompanion.in.
  22. ^ Nellie Andreeva (19 September 2012). "HBO Orders 'Criminal Justice' Drama Pilot Starring James Gandolfini, From Steven Zaillian & Richard Price". Deadline. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  23. ^ "The Night Of: Miniseries". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  24. ^ "Was HBO's 'The Night Of' a Masterpiece? There Is Reasonable Doubt". Observer. 2016-08-29. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  25. ^ "The Night Of Recap: Ugly Cats in Small Cages". Vulture. Retrieved 2018-12-01.
  26. ^ Saraiya, Sonia (July 8, 2016). "TV Review: 'The Night Of'".
  27. ^ Pedersen, Erik (23 September 2016). "Brenda Vaccaro & 'The Night Of's Poorna Jagannathan Join Netflix Drama 'Gyspy' – Update". Deadline.
  28. ^ Petski, Denise (May 7, 2018). "'Big Little Lies': Poorna Jagannathan Set To Recur In Season 2 Of HBO Series". Deadline.
  29. ^ "Never Have I Ever: Season 1". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved July 11, 2021.
  30. ^ Saraiya, Sonia. "Charming and Bright, Never Have I Ever Is Mindy Kaling's Best Show Yet". Vanity Fair.
  31. ^ "Never Have I Ever Review: Mindy Kaling's Netflix Teen Comedy Goes Down Like A Smooth Shot". Mashable India. April 24, 2020.
  32. ^ Anderson, John (April 23, 2020). "'Never Have I Ever' Review: Everyone's a Sidekick". Wall Street Journal – via www.wsj.com.
  33. ^ Dockterman, Eliana (March 30, 2018). "The 50 Best Podcasts to Listen to Right Now". Time.
  34. ^ "Podcast Awards". Podcast Awards - The People's Choice. Retrieved 2021-07-10.
  35. ^ Tuli, Aanchal (Jun 5, 2013). "Play on Nirbhaya in Edinburgh now". The Times Of India.
  36. ^ Andrew Dickson (4 August 2013). "Nirbhaya: the Edinburgh play telling the truth about abuse". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  37. ^ Trueman, Matt (2013-05-14). "Nirbhaya: play exploring Delhi gang rape heads to Edinburgh festival 2013". The Guardian. London.
  38. ^ Nathan, John (2013-05-14). "Nirbhaya: Play about the Delhi rape that shocked the world set for Edinburgh". The Independent. London.
  39. ^ "Nirbhaya". Assembly Festival. Archived from the original on August 22, 2013. Retrieved August 14, 2013.
  40. ^ "Fringe reviews: Nirbhaya / Somnambules & The 7 Deadly Sins / The Events". Herald Scotland. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  41. ^ Barnett, Laura (2013-08-05). "Edinburgh Festival 2013: Nirbhaya, review". The Daily Telegraph. London.
  42. ^ "Yaël Farber's Play "Nirbhaya" Wins Amnesty Award". Artinfo. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  43. ^ Ranade, Ajit (Mar 22, 2014). "Breaking the silence". Mumbai Mirror. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  44. ^ Phadke, Mithila (Mar 18, 2014). "Mumbai gives Nirbhaya play a standing ovation". The Times Of India.
  45. ^ Marta Bausells (August 2014). "Edinburgh festival: your favourite shows and memorable moments". The Guardian. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  46. ^ Brantley, Ben (27 April 2015). "Review: 'Nirbhaya,' a Lamentation and a Rallying Cry for Indian Women". The New York Times.
  47. ^ "Nirbhaya". www.show-score.com.
  48. ^ "Online Event promotion". meraevents.com. Retrieved 5 September 2015.
  49. ^ "Daily Mirror - Sri Lanka Latest Breaking News and Headlines". www.dailymirror.lk.
  50. ^ "A100 Hall of Fame".
  51. ^ "ImperAttrici". Marie Claire Italy. 28 Sep 2012. Archived from the original on April 7, 2013. Retrieved May 27, 2013.

External links[]

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