If your ideal weekend involves a netflix & chill scenario, then it is about time you make yourself familiar with Aziz Ansari, the latest addition to the popular streaming site most Americans cuddle up with at night. Right off the heels of a lengthy stint on NBC’s “Parks and Recreations,” Ansari is making splashes in the entertainment world with his own Netflix original series titled “Master of None.”
Since its Nov. 6 premiere date, the modern comedy has picked up quite the accumulation of positive reviews. New York Times’ James Poniewozik claims the show is “the year’s best comedy straight out of the gate,” in a review that went on to compliment the Indian comedian’s casual “multicultural, multiracial comedy.”
If fans were not won over enough by the sheer wit of the show, then Ansari’s decision to cast his real parents, Shoukath and Fatima Ansari, as his on-screen folks certainly helped seal the deal. Yes, the chemistry between the family of three is undeniable through the TV but their off-screen bond is what has many of Ansari’s fans reaching for the tissue box.
After a recent father-son appearance on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Ansari’s father told him, “(t)his is all fun and I liked acting in the show, but I really just did it so I could spend more time with you.”
The words of his father resulted in a lengthy post on Ansari’s Instagram account later that night where he expressed his undying gratitude to his parents and remorse for neglecting them in years prior.
“I almost instantly collapsed into tears at the thought of how much this person cares about me and took care of me and gave me everything to give me the amazing life I have. I felt like a total piece of garbage for all the times I haven’t visited my parents and told them I wanted to stay in New York cause I’d get bored in SC,” the actor wrote.
He went on to claim that working with his parents on-screen has promoted a healthier real life relationship between them.
In an episode entitled “Parents,” Dev, Ansari’s character, experiences a similar family dynamic that—spoiler alert—ends with him expressing his appreciation for his parents. Needless to say, the question shouldn’t be if art reflects life, but if life reflects art.
Ansari concluded his social media post by urging followers in similar circumstances to work on creating better relationships, adding, “(e)njoy and love these people while you can.”
Clearly, his new show has taught him more than just how to be a better actor, but how to be a better son—something everyone can support.
