Poorna Jagannathan
Biography
Poorna Jagannathan is an American producer and actress of Indian descent, born on December 22, 1972, in Tunis, Tunisia. She is known for portraying Safar Khan in the HBO drama miniseries The Night Of and for playing Nalini Vishwakumar in the Netflix teen comedy series Never Have I Ever. In addition to her screen work, Jagannathan co-conceived, produced, and acted in the play Nirbhaya, which is described as a powerful piece of human rights theatre and a critical moment in India's history of women's empowerment. Goldhouse named her among the top one hundred most impactful Asians in America in both 2021 and 2022. Her career includes fifty known credits on the Movie Database platform, reflecting her work in both movies and television shows.
Career overview
Poorna Jagannathan is an American producer and actress of Indian descent. She was born on December 22, 1972, in Tunis, Tunisia. Her notable television work includes portraying Safar Khan in the HBO drama miniseries The Night Of and playing the role of Nalini Vishwakumar in the Netflix teen comedy series Never Have I Ever. Across her career, she has accumulated fifty known credits in acting on the Movie Database.
Beyond her screen roles, Jagannathan has made significant contributions to theatre. She co-conceived, produced, and acted in the play Nirbhaya. This production is 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.
Her contributions and impact have also been recognized publicly. Jagannathan was named among the top one hundred most impactful Asians in America in both 2021 and 2022 by Goldhouse, and she has been featured by People magazine.
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Frequent co-stars
Career timeline
Full Filmography
51 titles- Lanterns (2026) as Zoe
- Deli Boys (2025) as Lucky
- Hot Ones Versus (2024) as Self
- Wolfs (2024) as June
- Turtles All the Way Down (2024) as Dr. Kira Singh
- Goodrich (2024) as Dr. Verma
- The Out-Laws (2023) as Rehan Zakaryan
- House Comes with a Bird (2022) as Langley
- I'll Show You Mine (2022) as Priya
- Alia's Birth (2021)
- Never Have I Ever (2020) as Dr. Nalini Vishwakumar
- Defending Jacob (2020) as Elizabeth Vogel
- The Wilds (2020) as Rana Jadmani
- Messiah (2020) as Sanjana Mirza
- The Act (2019) as Lakshmi Chandra
- Share (2019) as Kerri
- The Dead Center (2019) as Sarah Grey
- Sorry for Your Loss (2018) as Matt's Psychiatrist
- Mile 22 (2018) as Dorothy Brady
- An Actor Prepares (2018) as Dr. Fisher
- Taken (2017) as Judith Chapman
- Room 104 (2017) as Divya (voice)
- Gypsy (2017) as Larin Inamdar
- The Circle (2017) as Dr. Jessica Villalobos
- Carrie Pilby (2017) as Fliss
- Growing Up Smith (2017) as Nalini Bhatnagar
- Daisy Winters (2017) as Annabel Kumar
- The Night Of (2016) as Safar Khan
- Better Call Saul (2015) as Dr. Maureen Bruckner
- The Blacklist (2013) as Nirah Ahmad
- Thanks for Sharing (2013) as Lili Kazhani
- Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani (2013) as Riyana Sarai
- Peace, Love & Misunderstanding (2011) as Mira
- Delhi Belly (2011) as Menaka Vashisht
- Rizzoli & Isles (2010) as Mrs. Jalbani
- NCIS: Los Angeles (2009) as Dr. Nitya Agarwal
- Karma Calling (2009) as Quality Control
- Awake (2007) as Dr. Neyer's Nurse
- Numb3rs (2005) as Tech #1
- Made in Hollywood (2005) as Self
- Jonny Zero (2005) as Dr. Shamira
- The Weather Man (2005) as NY Pedestrian
- Starved (2005) as PJ
- Modern Day Arranged Marriage (2005) as Suna
- Dealbreaker (2005) as Fran's girlfriend
- She Hate Me (2004) as Song's Girlfriend
- She Hate Me (2004) as Song's Girlfriend (as Poorna)
- Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001) as Dr. Sikh
- Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (1999) as Maya Samra
- The View (1997) as Self
- Law & Order (1990) as Rehana Khemlani
Frequently Asked Questions
What movies or TV shows is Poorna Jagannathan best known for?
Poorna Jagannathan is widely recognized for notable roles and projects including Lanterns (2026), Deli Boys (2025), Hot Ones Versus (2024), Wolfs (2024).
When and where was Poorna Jagannathan born?
Poorna Jagannathan was born on December 22, 1972 in Tunis, Tunisia.
How many credits does Poorna Jagannathan have?
Poorna Jagannathan has accumulated over 51 film and television credits across a career spanning from 1990 to 2026.
What is Poorna Jagannathan's background in cinema and television?
Poorna Jagannathan is an American producer and actress of Indian descent, born on December 22, 1972, in Tunis, Tunisia. She is known for portraying Safar Khan in the HBO drama miniseries The Night Of and for playing Nalini Vishwakumar in the Netflix teen comedy series Never Have I Ever. In addition to her screen work, ...