Artwork: Sresta Aitharaju
Tamil actress Maitreyi Ramakrishnan shot up in popularity after the release of the Netflix show Never Have I Ever. The teen drama showcases the life of an Indian American teen, following her life in high school as she struggles to make sense of love, family, and identity. Devi, played by Maitreyi, navigates losing a family member, a complicated love triangle, and the possibility of moving away from everything she has ever known.
Outside of the show, Maitreyi advocates for South Asian representation, especially within Western film industries. She is planning on returning back to school to pursue Human Rights and Equity Studies to further her dreams for more inclusion in many sectors, including film. In a TikTok posted by Netflix, she encourages others to follow her footsteps in pursuing the Human Rights and Equity studies major.
In another interview with TIFF, she reveals her dream to play Rapunzel in the Disney live action movie. She explains her frustrations with the film and television industry, saying, “They are never going to pick the brown girl [to be the lead] because… the woman of color is going to be that quirky best friend.” But many of Maitreyi’s fans love her idea of a South Asian Rapunzel and are advocating for a South Asian actress to be chosen for the role. As a South Asian teen, I found it inspiring to hear Maitreyi share her feelings about this issue on a large platform.
Maitreyi also addressed the importance of specificity, and the negative aspects of grouping all Asian people together. Punjabi TikToker @chandbhangal filmed Maitreyi speaking at an event for the final season of Never Have I Ever in Toronto. Maitreyi speaks from the specific standpoint of being Tamil, explaining that when people use the term “Asian” to describe people from the Asian continent or part of the diaspora, normally they are referring to East Asians and not South Asians. She follows with that even using the term “Desi” can overlook important differences of South Asian cultures. She says that using specifics will “teach people who might not know what Tamil is” more about the identity.
Maitreyi is an amazing role model for young South Asians, as she uses her voice to speak up for what she believes in. South Asian people, especially the South Asian diaspora in countries such as the U.S, U.K, and Canada, are often victims of the model minority myth. They are expected to keep quiet and work hard, and often have to do exponentially better than their white counterparts to succeed.
When public figures such as Maitreyi address larger issues like this on their huge platforms, it allows these topics to be brought forward in conversation, and helps other South Asians to feel heard. Like Maitreyi expressed, I hope she or another South Asian actress will play Rapunzel, because of the representation it would bring to the screen, specifically aimed at a younger audience, who would then grow up with a South Asian role model. Maitreyi is an especially good choice for Rapunzel, because of the work she does to uplift and empower other South Asians.