‘Never Have I Ever’ Stars Poorna Jagannathan & Richa Moorjani Exclusive Portraits

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June 15, 2023 11:25AM EDT

‘Never Have I Ever’s leading ladies Poorna Jagannathan and Richa Moorjani stopped by HollywoodLife’s portrait studio and discussed the incredible final season.

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Poorna Jagannathan & Richa Moorjani Exclusive Portraits

Poorna Jagannathan & Richa Moorjani Exclusive Portraits
© Elissa Anderson

‘Never Have I Ever’ stars Poorna Jagannathan and Richa Moorjani stopped by HollywoodLife’s portrait studio as they promoted the final season of the Netflix series. Since the show’s debut in 2020, Poorna and Richa have starred as Nalini and Kamala. Nalini is Devi’s no-nonsense mother, while Kamala is plays Devi’s beautiful cousin who comes to live with the family in California.

The series showcased a South Asian American family and became a groundbreaking piece of television. In addition to being a coming-of-age story, ‘Never Have I Ever’ also examines the many facets of grief. The show began with the sudden death of the family patriarch, Nalini’s husband and Devi’s father.

Season 4 ended with Devi headed off to Princeton University and finally getting together with Ben — for real this time. Kamala took a job in Baltimore, while Nalini let go of her grief and may have found love again with Andres. See our exclusive portraits with Poorna and Richa in our gallery now.

June 14, 2023, 1:58PM
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Richa Moorjani On Saying Goodbye To The Show

Richa Moorjani On Saying Goodbye To The Show
Paige Kindlick

Richa Moorjani starred as Kamala in the Netflix series. She admitted it was ‘definitely hard’ to say goodbye to the show after living in the ‘Never Have I Ever’ world for so long.

June 14, 2023, 1:58PM
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Poorna Jagannathan On Nalini & Devi’s Touching Finale Scene

Poorna Jagannathan On Nalini & Devi’s Touching Finale Scene
© Elissa Anderson

Nalini and Devi shared a tearful moment as they packed Devi’s suitcase for college. Nalini ushered Devi off into the next chapter of her life and also let go of her own grief. ‘The wonderful thing about scenes like either the packing scene or the dispersing of the ashes scene is that they’re so beautifully written that the emotion is just so tightly wound in there,’ Poorna said. 

June 14, 2023, 1:58PM
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Richa Moorjani On Kamala’s Big Decision

Richa Moorjani On Kamala’s Big Decision
Paige Kindlick

Kamala was offered a coveted position in Baltimore, which she initially turned down at first. Kamala didn’t want to leave the family and bonds she’d built with Nalini, Devi, and more. ‘They’re the family away from her family that she already left behind. So when she gets this new opportunity, it means leaving everyone and everything she knows behind,’ Richa said.  

June 14, 2023, 1:58PM
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Poorna Jagannathan On Playing Nalini Again

Poorna Jagannathan On Playing Nalini Again
© Elissa Anderson

‘Never Have I Ever’ ended on a wonderful note, but the final two words left the series open-ended. If ‘Never Have I Ever’ came back in some capacity, Poorna would be ‘down tomorrow’ to reprise Nalini. 

June 14, 2023, 1:58PM
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Richa Moorjani On Devi & Kamala’s Final Dance

Richa Moorjani On Devi & Kamala’s Final Dance
Paige Kindlick

Kamala and Devi came together for a dance at Nirmala’s wedding that honored their heritage in a beautiful way. ‘I’m actually a dancer in real life, so I was trying to manifest that for the longest time. I really wanted that to happen,’ Kamala told HL. 

June 14, 2023, 2:00PM
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Poorna Jagannathan On The Show’s Portrayal Of Grief

Poorna Jagannathan On The Show’s Portrayal Of Grief
© Elissa Anderson

The series began in the aftermath of Mohan’s death. Nalini and Devi struggled with their grief, and the show explored the ebbs and flows of loss. ‘For me, it’s one of the best anatomies of grief,’ Poorna said about the show.

June 14, 2023, 1:58PM
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Richa Moorjani On Kamala’s Role In The Family

Richa Moorjani On Kamala’s Role In The Family
Paige Kindlick

Over the course of 4 seasons, Kamala was the bridge between Nalini and Devi. She helped them both navigate life as the connector between two very different generations. ‘Kamala is like the glue of the family,’ Richa noted.

June 14, 2023, 1:58PM
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Poorna Jagannathan On The Show’s Impact

Poorna Jagannathan On The Show’s Impact
© Elissa Anderson

‘Never Have I Ever’ put a South Asian American family at the forefront. ‘This family unit is a very important and pivotal family unit to be represented on TV,’ Poorna said. 

June 14, 2023, 1:58PM
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Richa Moorjani On Those Final Two Words

Richa Moorjani On Those Final Two Words
Paige Kindlick

Narrator John McEnroe says in the final moments that he’s signing off ‘for now.’ Richa admitted that those open-ended words were ‘written in the script,’ so it was a total surprise to her.

June 14, 2023, 1:58PM