Mindy Kaling praises Maitreyi Ramakrishnan as 'Best of the Best' lands on Netflix
Synopsis
Mindy Kaling's emotional Instagram tribute to Maitreyi Ramakrishnan is more than a co-star shoutout — it signals a full-circle moment for a duo who redefined South Asian representation on Netflix. With 'Best of the Best' now streaming, Ramakrishnan steps out of the teen-drama lane and into her first major film lead, backed by the loudest cheerleader in Hollywood.
Key Takeaways
Mindy Kaling praised Maitreyi Ramakrishnan on Instagram , calling her a 'sparkly person' who is 'at another level' in the new film.
Best of the Best began streaming on Netflix on 18 September 2026 .
The film is a comedy-drama about competitive Bollywood-fusion dance at UCLA , with Ramakrishnan playing lead character Maya .
Priyanka Kedia , Hasan Minhaj , and Lena Khan also feature in the film.
The role marks Maitreyi Ramakrishnan 's first leading part in a major live-action film, following her breakthrough in Netflix's Never Have I Ever .
Mindy Kaling has publicly celebrated Maitreyi Ramakrishnan's lead role in the new Netflix comedy-drama 'Best of the Best', calling the actress a 'sparkly person' and expressing that she is 'proud and in awe' of her performance. The film, which centres on competitive collegiate Bollywood-fusion dance, began streaming on Netflix on 18 September 2026.
What Kaling Said
Kaling took to Instagram to share a warm tribute, posting a photo of herself hugging Ramakrishnan alongside the film's poster. In her caption, she wrote: 'Hard not to get emotional, this sparkly person @maitreyiramakrishnan is starring in Best of the Best coming out today on @netflix! I'm so proud and in awe of her generally but in this movie (which looks so good, swipe for the trailer) she's at another level.'
She also praised the broader ensemble, writing: 'The entire crew feels like talented fam @hasanminhaj @imlenakhan and all the bright new faces whom I hope to meet soon. Also it makes even ME want to dance! Watch with me!' The post underscores the close bond between Kaling and Ramakrishnan, who previously collaborated on the hit Netflix teen series Never Have I Ever.
About 'Best of the Best'
Best of the Best is a comedy-drama that follows childhood best friends Maya and Anjali as they join UCLA's competitive Bollywood-fusion dance team and navigate a cutthroat road to the U.S. championship. Maitreyi Ramakrishnan plays Maya, while Priyanka Kedia portrays Anjali. The film also features Hasan Minhaj and Lena Khan among its cast and crew.
The film's release marks Ramakrishnan's most prominent live-action film lead to date, building on a career that has grown rapidly since her breakthrough on Never Have I Ever.
Maitreyi Ramakrishnan's Rise
The Canadian actress first rose to prominence playing Devi Vishwakumar in the Netflix teen comedy series Never Have I Ever, a role that brought her widespread recognition. She has since lent her voice to the animated films Turning Red and The Twits, as well as the animated series My Little Pony: Make Your Mark. Her live-action film credits include supporting roles in Slanted and Freakier Friday, with Best of the Best representing her first leading role in a theatrical or streaming feature film.
Mindy Kaling's Career and Connection
Kaling first came to wide attention as Kelly Kapoor in the long-running sitcom The Office, before creating and starring in The Mindy Project. As a producer, she has been instrumental in bringing stories centred on South Asian and underrepresented characters to mainstream audiences, a thread that runs clearly through Never Have I Ever and her enthusiasm for Best of the Best. Her extensive credits span voice roles in Despicable Me, Wreck-It Ralph, Mr. Peabody & Sherman, and Inside Out, as well as live-action appearances in films including Ocean's 8 and Late Night.
With Best of the Best now live on Netflix, attention will turn to viewer response and whether the film can replicate the cultural momentum of Never Have I Ever for Ramakrishnan's next chapter.
Point of View
And Ramakrishnan is the clearest product of that effort. 'Best of the Best' is a stress test for whether that pipeline can carry a film lead, not just a beloved TV character. The Bollywood-fusion angle also signals that streaming platforms are betting on diasporic identity as a commercially viable genre, not a niche. Whether audiences outside the South Asian diaspora follow Ramakrishnan into this new lane will determine the ceiling of her post-'Never Have I Ever' career.
NationPress
19 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is 'Best of the Best' on Netflix?
'Best of the Best' is a comedy-drama film that began streaming on Netflix on 18 September 2026. It follows childhood best friends Maya and Anjali who join UCLA's competitive Bollywood-fusion dance team and compete for the U.S. championship, with Maitreyi Ramakrishnan playing Maya and Priyanka Kedia as Anjali.
What did Mindy Kaling say about Maitreyi Ramakrishnan?
Kaling shared an Instagram post calling Ramakrishnan a 'sparkly person' and saying she is 'proud and in awe' of her, adding that Ramakrishnan is 'at another level' in 'Best of the Best'. She also praised the broader cast including Hasan Minhaj and Lena Khan.
Is 'Best of the Best' Maitreyi Ramakrishnan's first lead film role?
Yes, 'Best of the Best' represents Ramakrishnan's most prominent live-action film lead to date. She had previously taken supporting roles in 'Slanted' and 'Freakier Friday' and voice roles in animated projects before landing this lead.
Who else features in 'Best of the Best'?
The film features Priyanka Kedia as Anjali, alongside Hasan Minhaj and Lena Khan. Kaling's Instagram post also mentioned several 'bright new faces' joining the ensemble.
What is Maitreyi Ramakrishnan known for before this film?
Ramakrishnan rose to global prominence playing Devi Vishwakumar in Netflix's teen comedy series 'Never Have I Ever', which was created and produced by Mindy Kaling. She also voiced characters in 'Turning Red', 'The Twits', and 'My Little Pony: Make Your Mark'.
