We present an overview of metamaterials comprising nematic liquid crystals and nano-particulates or nano-structures. These metamaterials possess emergent properties such as electro-optically and all-optically tunable sub-unity, zero and negative refractive indices, and other properties not possible with conventional chemical synthesis methods. Optical wave mixing and self-action effects conducted with nano-particulate doped nematic liquid crystals have demonstrated fast optical field induced index modulation in micron- and sub-micron thin nematic films.