Keeping it real
VOGUE India|July 2021
For the young star of Never Have I Ever, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, it’s her you-do-you philosophy that helps her navigate stardom, cyber-trolling and life at large, finds Mihika Agarwal
Mihika Agarwal
Keeping it real

When Maitreyi Ram-akrishnan’s high-school romcom series Never Have I Ever dropped on Netflix in 2020, the then 18-year-old was in quarantine at home in Canada. There were no red-carpet premieres or launch parties. Instead, it all unfolded on social media. Within hours of its release, the Mindy Kaling- and Lang Fisher-directorial stormed Twitter, watch lists and the hearts of millions across the globe. And in turn, Ramakrishnan’s Devi Vishwakumar, in all her arm-haired glory, became one of the most real and relatable Gen-Z characters that the OTT landscape has offered us in recent times. A first-generation immigrant in America awkwardly straddling two cultures even as she navigates adolescence and all that it comes with—sex, love, friendships, rebellion, body image issues and insecurities—Vishwakumar evolves multifold in the first season. But the character arcs are even more remarkable in the upcoming instalment, set to hit screens in July 2021. An excited Ramakrishnan says, “Expect the unexpected.”

This story is from the July 2021 edition of VOGUE India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the July 2021 edition of VOGUE India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM VOGUE INDIAView All
The Real Deal
VOGUE India

The Real Deal

Triptii Dimri's unfiltered spirit shines through as she races ahead on her journey to the field of stars.

time-read
10+ mins  |
March - April 2024
Mrs.Prada
VOGUE India

Mrs.Prada

Almost everyone refers to Miuccia Prada in the most formal of ways, but she herself has never been one to stand on ceremony. WENDELL STEAVENSON meets a designer who has built an empire in her own image: iconic, iconoclastic and  enormously influential.

time-read
6 mins  |
March - April 2024
Happily ever laughter
VOGUE India

Happily ever laughter

South Asians have long clamoured for a seat at the comedy table. Now, Vidura BR, Sabeen Sadiq, Hari Kondabolu and Abby Govindan are in on all the jokes

time-read
7 mins  |
March - April 2024
Anchors aweigh
VOGUE India

Anchors aweigh

Having moved houses almost every year of her life, KALYANI ADHAV's experiences are proof that home is not a place, it's a feeling

time-read
3 mins  |
March - April 2024
Console sisters
VOGUE India

Console sisters

India's female gamers are rewriting the age-old narrative that views women as objects of desire or damsels in need of saving.

time-read
4 mins  |
March - April 2024
Soft serve
VOGUE India

Soft serve

His untimely disappearance from the big screen nine years ago may have caused serious heartburn, but Imran Khan is ready to pick up where he left off-with a few upgrades.

time-read
6 mins  |
March - April 2024
The end of olitter?
VOGUE India

The end of olitter?

Or are we just at the beginning—of a new era of microplastic-free, perfectly-healthy-to-eat sparkle. TAMAR ADLER reports on glitz to feel good about

time-read
5 mins  |
March - April 2024
Smooth operator
VOGUE India

Smooth operator

Can retinol pack the wrinkle-reducing power without the irritation? Chloe Malle test-drives a new generation of kinder formulas rebooting the superstar skincare ingredient

time-read
4 mins  |
March - April 2024
The great gamble
VOGUE India

The great gamble

At the Gucci Ancora showcase in Singapore, Vogue India got within a hair’s breadth of Sabato De Sarno’s debut collection. ROCHELLE PINTO reports on the new direction

time-read
2 mins  |
March - April 2024
Blue jean baby
VOGUE India

Blue jean baby

LEE X Suneet Varma's collaboration featuring Sara Ali Khan merges classic denim with Indian couture.

time-read
2 mins  |
March - April 2024