How To Ruin Diwali: Meet the Parents on Netflix

First look at How To Ruin Diwali: Meet the Parents

October 6, 2026

The How To Ruin franchise is back and this time, the family drama is arriving just in time for Diwali. Netflix has dropped the official trailer for How To Ruin Diwali: Meet the Parents, the latest instalment in the South African comedy franchise, ahead of its 30 October 2026 premiere. The three-episode series brings together How To Ruin Christmas and How To Ruin Love producers Burnt Onion Productions with filmmaker Jayan Moodley, the director behind Kandasamys: The Baby and Meet the Khumalos.

How To Ruin Diwali follows Mmabatho, a perfectionist who is ready to take the next step with her fiancé Varshen. There is just one problem: their families have never met. When Mmabatho meets Varshen’s parents, Tarina and Sharm, over Diwali weekend, what should be a chance for the families to get acquainted quickly turns into something much messier. Then Mmabatho’s estranged parents, Penelope and Mandla, unexpectedly arrive, bringing old tensions, family secrets and plenty of personality clashes with them. Before long, one badly timed revelation threatens to derail the entire Diwali celebration. Naturally, Mmabatho decides to fix everything. And, naturally, that only makes things worse.

The new series stars Rosemary Zimu-Mnguni as Mmabatho alongside Kyle Clark, Jailoshini Naidoo, Koobeshan Naidoo, Sonia Mbele and Meshack Mavuso. The wider cast includes Denise Zimba, reprising her role as Zama from How To Ruin Christmas, as well as Luthando BU Mthembu, Ashish Gangapersad, Kaseran Pillay, Quinton Madlala, Mishka Lockhart, Hermoine Reddy and Priya Bandu. With family expectations, cultural differences and a secret affair all thrown into the mix, How To Ruin Diwali: Meet the Parents looks set to bring the franchise’s familiar brand of festive chaos to a whole new family gathering.

Who produced How To Ruin Diwali: Meet the Parents?

The series is produced by Burnt Onion Productions, with creators Rethabile Ramaphakela and Katleho Ramaphakela. Executive producers are Tshepo Ramaphakela, Katleho Ramaphakela and Rethabile Ramaphakela. Directed by Johnny Barbuzano and Vivek Mehta, and Jayan Moodley as a producer. The series is written by Gillian Breslin, Lihle Msimang, Vanishia Kisten and Bradley Katzen.