Pakistani American Comedy ‘Deli Boys’ Coming to Hulu in March

Hulu just released the first-look images from the new original scripted Deli Boys, which premieres Thursday, March 6 on Hulu.

The story centers on two spoiled, pampered Pakistani American brothers who lose everything when their convenience store-magnate father suddenly dies. They later discover their father’s secret life of crime and attempt to take up his mantle in the underworld.

DELI BOYS – “First Look” – (Disney/James Washington) SAAGAR SHAIKH, ASIF ALI, POORNA JAGANNATHAN, BRIAN GEORGE

Think Netflix’s The Gentleman but with a comedic twist with two hilarious South Asian American actors at the forefront of the story.

It’s about time Pakistani-diasporic stories are being told!

DELI BOYS – “First Look” – (Disney/James Washington) ASIF ALI, SAAGAR SHAIKH

The series stars comedian Asif Ali (Shrinking, Agatha All Along) and actor Saagar Shaikh (Ms. Marvel) as the two brothers. With what we’ve seen from Ali and Shaikh of their work, we expect this to be hilarious. The show also stars Poorna Jagannathan (Never Have I Ever), Alfie Fuller (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), and Brian George (Seinfeld, Big Bang Theory).

The half-hour, 10-episode series was created by Pakistani American writer (and journalist) Abdullah Saeed, with Michelle Nader as showrunner. The executive producers are Nader, Saeed, Jenni Konner, Nora Silver, Nisha Ganatra, and Vali Chandrasekaran. Ganatra directed the pilot episode.

DELI BOYS – “First Look” (Disney/James Washington) POORNA JAGANNATHAN

UCLA released its annual diversity report this month, which revealed Asians made up 2.2% of leads on television. Even among the 2.2%, the Asian category combines East, South, and Southeast Asian, so it’s difficult to gauge the number of South Asian leads on a U.S. television series. The study noted only two South Asian women leads on television in 2023. Even within the South Asian bracket, the ethnicities aren’t differentiated, lumping Indian, Pakistani, Nepalese, Bengali, and Sri Lankan people together.

DELI BOYS – “First Look” – (Disney/James Washington) ALFIE FULLER, ASIF ALI

Pakistani-diasporic stories have only recently started having visibility onscreen with Ms. Marvel, We Are Lady Parts, and anything with Riz Ahmed and Hasan Minhaj. With Deli Boys, it adds another tick for South Asians on the map, but highlights a Pakistani American family, who hilariously find themselves in the drug world.

I’m really looking forward to this series.

Deli Boys premieres on March 6 on Hulu.