Poorna Jagannathan is an American actress who plays Saya Katdare on USA's Royal Pains

Royal Pains

Royal Pains is a USA Network television series that premiered on June 4, 2009, starring Mark Feuerstein, Paulo Costanzo, Jill Flint and Reshma Shetty. The series is based in part on actual concierge medicine practices of independent doctors and companies...

. She came to prominence after starring in the Bollywood

Bollywood

Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...

 film Delhi Belly opposite Imran Khan

Imran Khan (actor)

Imran Khan is an Indian American film actor. He is the nephew of actor Aamir Khan and producer-director Mansoor Khan.Khan rose to stardom for his debut role in the 2008 blockbuster film Jaane Tu... Ya Jaane Na. The film won him the Filmfare Award for Best Male Debut...

.

Early life

Jagannathan was born in Tunis, Tunisia but grew up in Argentina, Ireland, Brazil and Pakistan. She graduated in journalism from the University of Maryland

University of Maryland

When the term "University of Maryland" is used without any qualification, it generally refers to the University of Maryland, College Park.University of Maryland may refer to the following:...

, College Park. She started her Master's from the Actor's Studio

Actors Studio

The Actors Studio is a membership organization for professional actors, theatre directors and playwrights at 432 West 44th Street in the Clinton neighborhood of Manhattan in New York City. It was founded October 5, 1947, by Elia Kazan, Cheryl Crawford, Robert Lewis and Anna Sokolow who provided...

 but left after the first year.

Career

Jagannathan portrays Saya Katdare on USA network’s Royal Pains. She has also appeared on TV shows like Law & Order, Rescue Me, Love Monkey and The Game. She will be seen as Mira in Peace, Love and Misunderstanding starring Jane Fonda and Catherine Keener, directed by Oscar winner Bruce Beresford. She also joined the ensemble cast of Thanks For Sharing starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Tim Robbins and Mark Ruffalow directed by Oscar Nominee Stuart Blumberg which releases in 2012. Jagannathan is an established theatre actress and is part of The Barrow Group

The Barrow Group

The Barrow Group is a non-profit Off-Broadway Theatre Company, Acting School and Arts Center located in New York City. It was founded in 1986 by Lee Brock and Seth Barrish. The organization has received awards for its productions including a Drama Desk Award, a Lucille Lortel Awards, an OBIE...

 in New York City.

Jagannathan won critical acclaim for her role as a spunky, irreverent journalist in the film Delhi Belly. The Village Voice

The Village Voice

The Village Voice is a free weekly newspaper and news and features website in New York City that features investigative articles, analysis of current affairs and culture, arts and music coverage, and events listings for New York City...

said "For all this censor-board razzing, the most enjoyably subversive element is Poorna Jagannathan as the self-sufficient bachelorette who waylays Tashi on his way to the altar. Rangy, corkscrew-haired, with a wary demeanor that can’t long be upset by anything, she’s a happy departure from the usual run of Xeroxed, pedestaled beauties." Mumbai Mirror

Mumbai Mirror

Mumbai Mirror is a largest compact newspaper in the city of Mumbai with a daily circulation of over 600,000 copies. Its first issue was published on May 30, 2005 by the Times Group, the publishers of The Times of India newspaper....

said, "Poorna Jagannathan, an offbeat choice, is remarkably subtle and does a brilliant job." The Daily News and Analysis was of the opinion that Jagannathan shines in the film, and that "her bohemian sex appeal" is "a refreshing change from the prim and proper 'heroine' we are used to watching.". The editor of Outlook Lounge said that Jagannathan's performance was a "masterclass in effortless acting".

Filmography

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year !! Film/TV series
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| 2004 || Law & Order

Law & Order

Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...

|-
| 2004 || She Hate Me

She Hate Me

She Hate Me is a 2004 independent comedy-drama film directed by Spike Lee and starring Anthony Mackie, Kerry Washington, Ellen Barkin, Monica Bellucci, Brian Dennehy, Woody Harrelson, Bai Ling and John Turturro....

|-
| 2005 || Law & Order

Law & Order

Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...

|-
| 2005 || Johny Zero
|-
| 2005 || Dealbreaker
|-
| 2005 || The Weather Man

The Weather Man

The Weather Man is a 2005 American comedy-drama film, directed by Gore Verbinski. Written by Steve Conrad, it stars Nicolas Cage, Michael Caine and Hope Davis and tells the story of a weatherman in the midst of a mid-life crisis....

|-
| 2005 || Modern Day Arranged Marriage
|-
| 2006 || Love Monkey

Love Monkey

Love Monkey is a television series created by Michael Rauch and based on a book of the same name, by Kyle Smith. It starred Tom Cavanagh as a 30-something, single, record executive who navigated the tumultuous and highly amusing waters of work and dating in New York City.Its first episode aired on...

|-
| 2006 || Rescue Me

Rescue Me

-Music:* "Rescue Me" , covered by many performers* "Rescue Me" * "Rescue Me" * "Rescue Me" * "Rescue Me" * "Rescue Me"...

|-
| 2006 || Law & Order

Law & Order

Law & Order is an American police procedural and legal drama television series, created by Dick Wolf and part of the Law & Order franchise. It aired on NBC, and in syndication on various cable networks. Law & Order premiered on September 13, 1990, and completed its 20th and final season on May 24,...

|-
| 2007 || Montclair

Montclair

- Places in the United States :*Montclair, New Jersey**Montclair State University**Upper Montclair, New Jersey*Montclair, California, a city in San Bernardino County*Montclair, Oakland, California, a neighborhood*Montclair, Indiana*Montclair, Virginia...

|-
| 2007 || Awake

Awake (TV series)

Awake is an upcoming science fiction crime drama television series that will air on NBC starring Jason Isaacs. On May 16, 2011, NBC announced that the show would serve as a midseason replacement during the 2011–12 television season...

|-
| 2008 || The Game
|-
| 2009 || Karma Calling
|-
| 2009 || Numb3rs

NUMB3RS

Numb3rs is an American television drama which premiered on CBS on January 23, 2005, and concluded on March 12, 2010. The series was created by Nicolas Falacci and Cheryl Heuton, and follows FBI Special Agent Don Eppes and his mathematical genius brother, Charlie Eppes , who helps Don solve crimes...

|-
| 2010–2011 || Royal Pains

Royal Pains

Royal Pains is a USA Network television series that premiered on June 4, 2009, starring Mark Feuerstein, Paulo Costanzo, Jill Flint and Reshma Shetty. The series is based in part on actual concierge medicine practices of independent doctors and companies...

|-
| 2011 || Peace, Love and Misunderstanding

Peace, Love and Misunderstanding

Peace, Love & Misunderstanding is an independent comedy-drama film directed by Bruce Beresford and starring Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Elizabeth Olsen, Nat Wolff, Marissa O'Donnell, Chace Crawford, Kyle MacLachlan, and Rosanna Arquette...

|-
| 2011 || Delhi Belly
|-
| 2012 || Thanks For Sharing