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Poorna Jagannathan

Poorna Jagannathan

Actor · Born December 22, 1972 (53) · Tunis, Tunisia

Independent Spirit Award nominee

Poorna Jagannathan (/ˈpɔːrnə ˌdʒɑːɡəˈnɑːθən/ POR-nə JAH-gə-NAH-thən; born December 22, 1972) is an American producer and actress of Indian descent. She is known for her portrayal of Safar Khan in the HBO drama miniseries The Night Of and for her role as Nalini Vishwakumar in the Netflix teen comedy series Never Have I Ever.  Jagannathan also co-conceived, produced, and acted in the play Nirbhaya, 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. Jagannathan was named among the "Top 100 Most Impactful Asians" in America in 2021 and 2022 by Goldhouse. People magazine featured her in their 2024 "The Beautiful Issue", while Verve magazine named her among the top 50 most powerful women in India in 2014. Description above from the Wikipedia article Poorna Jagannathan, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

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Biography from TMDB.

Born
December 22, 1972 (53)
From
Tunis, Tunisia
Works as
Actor
Titles
41 on MovieCove · 48 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Down 2% in 30 days

What are Poorna Jagannathan's films like?

Across their 20 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Morality.

Genres

Comedy5 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 58th percentile, at or above their average across these genres
: browse their Comedy movies
Action4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 50th percentile
: browse their Action movies
Drama4 titlesTypical Midcredits score: 47th percentile
: browse their Drama movies

Their MovieCove films by primary genre. The badge is the typical Midcredits score of the genre's films, the median percentile; an up arrow marks a genre at or above their average across these genres.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
35%
Morality
23%
Self
20%
Survival
14%
Society
6%
Ideas
2%
Power
1%
Family bonds8 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity7 titles, browse their movies with this themeRomantic love4 titles, browse their movies with this themeComing of age3 titles, browse their movies with this themeTrauma3 titles, browse their movies with this themeJustice3 titles, browse their movies with this themeDeception4 titles, browse their movies with this themeLoyalty3 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 15 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 7 · Serious 2 · Dark 6

Grounded: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their grounded movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

Grounded 12 · Stylized 3 · Heightened 0

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 8 · Intense 6

Shifting: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their shifting movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 9 · Whiplash 3

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

A split, not a type: Straight-faced 8 · Some laughs 3 · Funny 4

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

A split, not a type: Slow burn 8 · Even-paced 5 · Relentless 2

Engaged: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their engaged movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

A split, not a type: Casual 7 · Engaged 6 · Full focus 2

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 11 · Open-ended 4 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

7 analyzed roles

Usually the Mentor: 3 of 7 analyzed roles.

Mentor
3 of 7
Shadow
2 of 7
Threshold guardian
1 of 7
Shapeshifter
1 of 7
Show the 7 roles

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
13
Melancholic
8
Absurd
5
Dread
4
Joyful
5
Other
24

How their films linger

Feel-good8 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteHopeful7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling7 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteThought-provoking5 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 4 with a twist

  • Happy5
  • Bittersweet9
  • Tragic2
  • Ambiguous4

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Poorna Jagannathan's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 35 of their 41 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on Netflix (10).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Poorna Jagannathan's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

48 credits, 41 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Lanterns(2026)

    Show 8 episodes · as Zoe Macon

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

  • Lanterns - “Pilot” (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Zoe Macon

  • Deli Boys(2025)

    Show 16 episodes · as Lucky

    Midcredits score: 54th percentile of all shows

  • Goodrich(2024)

    as Dr. Verma

    Midcredits score: 58th percentile of all films

  • Wolfs(2024)

    as June

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Turtles All the Way Down(2024)

    as Dr. Kira Singh

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all films

  • The Out-Laws(2023)

    as Rehan Zakaryan

    Midcredits score: 18th percentile of all films

  • I'll Show You Mine(2022)

    as Priya

    Midcredits score: 34th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • House Comes with a Bird (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Langley

  • Alia's Birth (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    Actor

  • The Wilds(2020)

    Show 1 episode · as Rana Jadmani

    Midcredits score: 73rd percentile of all shows

  • Never Have I Ever(2020)

    Show 40 episodes · as Dr. Nalini Vishwakumar

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • Defending Jacob(2020)

    Show 4 episodes · as Elizabeth Vogel

    Midcredits score: 89th percentile of all shows

  • Messiah(2020)

    Show 3 episodes · as Sanjana Mirza

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all shows

  • The Dead Center(2018)

    as Sarah Grey

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • The Act(2019)

    Show 1 episode · as Lakshmi Chandra

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Share(2019)

    as Kerri

    Midcredits score: 30th percentile of all films

  • Sorry for Your Loss(2018)

    Show 1 episode · as Matt's Psychiatrist

    Midcredits score: 62nd percentile of all shows

  • An Actor Prepares(2018)

    as Dr. Fisher

    Midcredits score: 23rd percentile of all films

  • Mile 22(2018)

    as Dorothy Brady

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films

  • Daisy Winters(2017)

    as Annabel Kumar

    Midcredits score: 60th percentile of all films

  • Room 104(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Divya (voice)

    Midcredits score: 13th percentile of all shows

  • Gypsy(2017)

    Show 10 episodes · as Larin Inamdar

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all shows

  • The Circle(2017)

    as Dr. Jessica Villalobos

    Midcredits score: 15th percentile of all films

  • Carrie Pilby(2016)

    as Fliss

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all films

  • Taken(2017)

    Show 1 episode · as Judith Chapman

    Midcredits score: 35th percentile of all shows

  • Growing Up Smith(2015)

    as Nalini Bhatnagar

    Midcredits score: 74th percentile of all films

  • The Night Of(2016)

    Show 8 episodes · as Safar Khan

    Midcredits score: 97th percentile of all shows

  • Better Call Saul(2015)

    Show 2 episodes · as Dr. Maureen Bruckner

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • The Blacklist(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Nirah Ahmad

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all shows

  • Thanks for Sharing(2012)

    as Lili Kazhani

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all films

  • Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani(2013)

    as Riyana Sarai

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all films

  • Peace, Love & Misunderstanding(2011)

    as Mira

    Midcredits score: 36th percentile of all films

  • Delhi Belly(2011)

    as Menaka Vashisht

    Midcredits score: 92nd percentile of all films

  • Rizzoli & Isles(2010)

    Show 1 episode · as Mrs. Jalbani

    Midcredits score: 84th percentile of all shows

  • NCIS: Los Angeles(2009)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Nitya Agarwal

    Midcredits score: 51st percentile of all shows

  • Karma Calling(2009)

    as Quality Control

    Midcredits score: 40th percentile of all films (provisional, few ratings)

  • Awake(2007)

    as Dr. Neyer's Nurse

    Midcredits score: 59th percentile of all films

  • Modern Day Arranged Marriage (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Suna

  • The Weather Man(2005)

    as NY Pedestrian

    Midcredits score: 61st percentile of all films

  • Dealbreaker (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    as Fran's girlfriend

  • Starved (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as PJ

  • Numb3rs(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Tech #1

    Midcredits score: 50th percentile of all shows

  • Jonny Zero (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2005)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Shamira

  • She Hate Me(2004)

    as Song's Girlfriend · as Song's Girlfriend (as Poorna)

    Midcredits score: 24th percentile of all films

  • Law & Order: Criminal Intent(2001)

    Show 1 episode · as Dr. Sikh

    Midcredits score: 75th percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order: Special Victims Unit(1999)

    Show 2 episodes · as Maya Samra

    Midcredits score: 88th percentile of all shows

  • Law & Order(1990)

    Show 1 episode · as Rehana Khemlani

    Midcredits score: 79th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 98th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 48 titles from 1990 to 2026; peak year 2018.

Biggest box office

Mile 22 (2018)

$66M worldwide

Highest rated

The Night Of (2016)

Midcredits 97th

Most popular right now

Lanterns (2026)

Film career

19902026

Peak 2018 · their film career is on the way up. Top draw in 3 MovieCove titles. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting48 of 48: 48 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score60th

By decade

1990s2 · acting2000s11 · acting2010s21 · acting2020s14 · acting

Billing

usually 9th · top billed in 0% of 17 roles
041419

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30; the columns are the share of top-billed roles in each era, 5-year spans from the year on the label, merged until each holds at least 5 roles.

Awards

Nominated for an Independent Spirit Award in 2026, Best Supporting Performance in a New Scripted Series.

Major bodies only: the Oscars, Primetime Emmys, Golden Globes, BAFTAs and Screen Actors Guild Awards are named; Cannes, Venice, the Berlinale, Sundance, the directors', writers' and producers' guilds, the Grammys, Critics Choice and the Independent Spirit Awards count as other major bodies. Festival and regional prizes are not counted. Source: IMDb.

How do Poorna Jagannathan's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 51st percentile, the median of all 21; across their 15 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 41st percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

41stpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Approval · how many liked their films

46thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Reach · how many have seen their films

86thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 15

Midcredits score across 41 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up13
  • 50th to 74th15
  • 25th to 49th8
  • Below 25th5

Shape of the crowd

22 of their 41 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved5
  • Divisive1
  • Cult Classic1
  • Crowd Pleaser22
  • Broadly Agreed4
  • Mixed8

Most divisive · actor

I'll Show You Mine (2022)

90th percentile spread · 40% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

The Night Of (2016)

Midcredits 97th · 94% liked

Reviewers score the acting 67/100 in their films, across 13 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 43. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Poorna Jagannathan's work okay for kids?

Across up to 15 MovieCove titles with content scores, violence & gore and profanity run heavier than most films.

Their medianMedian of all filmsMiddle 80% of their titles
Violence & Gore13 titles11–83 · median 63 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity15 titles17–58 · median 32 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 32
Profanity11 titles32–94 · median 65 · intenseheavier than most filmsMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs11 titles17–58 · median 39 · moderatenear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense11 titles14–59 · median 30 · mildnear the median of all filmsMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted. The band's colour is the severity of their median, named beside it.

Who does Poorna Jagannathan work with?

People who share at least 2 of Poorna Jagannathan's MovieCove titles, grouped by what they did on them; Richard Kind shares the most, 2.

Actors

Producers