Meet Kabir Akhtar : The Funny Mind of Never Have I Ever
Kabir Akhtar mirrors the blending of his Indian American identities with ultimate humor as he wields a sword against the typical troupes and depictions of BIPOC in media. The Philly native comes from the strong roots of his acclaimed psychoanalyst father, Salaman Akhtar, in addition to famous Bollywood poet and lyricist, Jan Nisar Akhtar and Javed Akhtar, his grandfather and uncle, respectively! Kabir comes from an impressive and pretty poppin lineage of artists/entertainers in the industry, yet has fostered and developed his own niche in sharp-witted comedic TV shows and film!
Known for directing golden sitcoms like the iconic Arrested Development(2003-2019) and The CW’s rom-com, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend(2015-2019), Kabir Akhtar has built his name around his sheer devotion to classic elements of TV comedy! Using outlandish running gags, quirky moments, and utilizing fleshed-out characters with the perfect cast to match, Akhtar has expressed over a decade of campy, satirical jokes and punchy characters that have found a place in their own strand of the comedy canon.
Identifying with both aspects of his Indian heritage and extensive family Bollywood lineage, Kabir Akhtar asserts humility, yet remains hungry for continuing the task of transforming and modernizing media with POC stories and presence.
Akhtar keeps up with the ever-evolving pace of Hollywood demands with an acute mind and keen attention to detail when it comes to comprehensive and edgy editing and other post-production skills! He organizes his set and editing room with the introspection of other roles like that of his editors, principal photography crew, and writers, in mind reflecting on how each department or individual can construct a deeper narrative that extends beyond the script or the character archetypes.
Some of Kabir’s WIPs for 2022 include directing for Netflix’s latest dramedy Never Have I Ever(2020-Present). In this series, Akhtar emphasizes the importance of acknowledging the race/ethnicity of the characters while doing justice to their individual complexities and humanness; in essence not minimizing the characters to just their race/ethnicity and visual skin tone. He keeps in mind that the characters and their narrative arcs don’t necessarily have to be subjected to the troupes and expectations that many viewers would typically have of White characters.
Oftentimes there’s minimal growing room for Brown voices, shapes, tones, and stories to be actualized on screen, without the aid of a White presence on or off-screen. Kabir Akhtar explains the multiplicity of racial/ethnic identities in an interview with HuffPost, doing so gracefully, and to his truth!
You can view more of Akhtar’s work on his site here!
