Never Have I Ever: A Critical Analysis on the Role of Netflix in Promoting Multiculturalism

Abstract

Netflix, a pioneering streaming platform in the era of the rise of OTT platforms’ popularity, has established itself as an advocate of multiculturalism unlike any other contemporary in its time. It thrives by producing and featuring a diversity of content that includes stories, cast, and characters from various cultural backgrounds. Through its method of narrating stories, Netflix represents the cultural inclusivity, appreciation, and mutual understanding of cultures in the United States of America, representing it as a salad bowl. This research essay critically examines the web series Never Have I Ever that on one hand, underscores the role of Netflix in promoting multiculturalism, and on the other hand, it highlights the United States of America as a multicultural society. By close examination of the cast, storytelling, and themes of the web series, this article identifies the United States of America as a salad bowl wherein every culture is allowed to retain its individualistic identity while being a part of the community instead of a melting pot wherein all the cultures get dissolved into the American culture. With the showcasing of a cast from various backgrounds who face complex issues such as identity crisis and cultural assimilation, Never Have I Ever efficiently challenges the stereotypes and elicits empathy from the audience along with building an all-embracing society with unique identities.