# Deli Boys

Deli Boys is an American comedy series created by Abdullah Saeed. The series follows two Pakistani American brothers whose lives are upended after the sudden death of their father reveals his criminal enterprise. Asif Ali, Saagar Shaikh, Poorna Jagannathan, Alfie Fuller, and Brian George star. The 10-episode first season premiered on Hulu on March 6, 2025 to positive critical reception.

## Plot

After their multimillionare father's sudden death, hardworking Mir (Asif Ali) and party boy Raj (Saagar Shaikh) are thrust into Dark DarCo, their father's drug empire that they knew nothing about. With the help of one of Baba's closest consigliere's, Lucky (Poorna Jagannathan), they juggle managing the illegal enterprise and the public-facing company, DarCo, while concealing their activities from their loved ones.

## Cast
### Main

Source:
* Asif Ali as Mir Dar, who is hardworking and eager to impress his father
* Saagar Shaikh as Raj Dar, a pothead party boy happy to live off his family wealth
* Alfie Fuller as Prairie, Raj's shaman and an afrofuturist hipster
* Poorna Jagannathan as Lucky, Baba's closest confidante and a leader in the enterprise
* Brian George as Ahmad, a striver seeking the top spot at DarCo

### Recurring

Source:
* Kevin Corrigan as Chickie Lozano, an Italian American crime boss
* Alexandra Ruddy, as Agent Mercer, an ambitious FBI agent
* Tim Baltz as Director Simpson, regional director of the FBI
* Zainne Saleh as Bushra, Mir’s fiancée
* Sakina Jaffrey as Seema, Bushra's mother
* Amita Rao as Nandika, a cosplayer with a crush on Raj
* Anish Jethmalani as Patika, the kindhearted owner of an Indian restaurant
* Minita Gandhi as Latika, Patika's wife
* Iqbal Theba as Baba Dar, the father of Mir and Raj and the head of a criminal enterprise
* Sofia Black-D’Elia as Gigi, Chickie Lozano's daughter

### Guest

* Geoffrey Arend as Ralph, who oversees cocaine production
* Azhar Usman as Feraz Khan, head of compliance
* Shahjehan Khan as Ali "Paneer" Sahir, head of distribution
* Tan France as Zubair, a South London gang leader

## Episodes

| No. overall | No. in season | Title | Directed by | Written by | Original release date |
| 1 | 1 | "Pilot" | Nisha Ganatra | Abdullah Saeed | March 6, 2025 (2025-3-6) |
| Baba Dar, a Pakistani-American immigrant and head of the successful deli chain ABC Deli, is struck by a stray golf ball on a family golf trip and killed. Following the funeral, his sons Raj and Mir visit the headquarters of DarCo, ABC Deli's parent company, in a bid to have Mir instated as CEO. Their pitch is interrupted by a raid by the FBI, who arrest interim CEO Lucky. Agent Mercer informs the boys of DarCo's two-decade history of tax fraud among other white-collar crimes. All company accounts are frozen and Mir and Raj's possessions are confiscated. With no other sources of income, they return to the first ABC Deli, Baba's sole business not owned by DarCo. Lucky arrives and shoots a staff member in the front of the boys before advising them to leave town. At Raj's insistence, she shows them a video from their father in which he bequeaths the family business to them. Lucky informs them that DarCo is a front for organized crime far beyond what the FBI knows about and blackmails them both into participating. Later, the clerk shot by Lucky resuscitates and flees the store pursued by Raj and Mir. Mercer watches them from afar. ||||||
| 2 | 2 | "Deadly Boys" | Oz Rodriguez | Abdullah Saeed | March 6, 2025 (2025-3-6) |
| 3 | 3 | "Delhi Boys" | Oz Rodriguez | Mehar Sethi | March 6, 2025 (2025-3-6) |
| 4 | 4 | "Delicate Boys" | Jeremy Konner | Sudi Green | March 6, 2025 (2025-3-6) |
| 5 | 5 | "Jersey Boys" | Maureen Bharoocha | Feraz Ozel | March 6, 2025 (2025-3-6) |
| 6 | 6 | "Lucky Boys" | Andrew Ahn | Abdullah Saeed & Michelle Nader | March 6, 2025 (2025-3-6) |
| 7 | 7 | "Delivery Boys" | Nisha Ganatra | Kyle Lau | March 6, 2025 (2025-3-6) |
| 8 | 8 | "Sweaty Boys" | Fawzia Mirza | Nikki Kashani & Ekaterina Vladimirova | March 6, 2025 (2025-3-6) |
| 9 | 9 | "Shaadi Boys" | Ahmed Ibrahim | Abdullah Saeed | March 6, 2025 (2025-3-6) |
| 10 | 10 | "Confetti Boys" | Jenni Konner | Abdullah Saeed & Mehar Sethi & Michelle Nader | March 6, 2025 (2025-3-6) |

## Production

The series Deli Boys was ordered for a pilot by Onyx Collective in October 2022. On May 11, 2023 it was announced that Onyx Collective picked up the comedy series Deli Boys for a 10-episode order. The series was created by Abdullah Saeed and developed in collaboration with executive producers Jenni Konner and Nora Silver. Vali Chandrasekaran, Nisha Ganatra (who directed the pilot), and Michelle Nader (showrunner) are also executive producers. Deli Boys is the first scripted series created by Saeed. He named The Godfather, Hogan's Heroes, Bored to Death, and Office Space as influences for the show.
Deli Boys was filmed in Chicago, which began in January 2024 after a delay in production resultant from the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Filming wrapped on April 5, 2024. Filming locations include Essence of India in Lincoln Square, Rogers Park, 2330 W Wilson Avenue, and McKinley Park.
In October 2022, Asif Ali, Saagar Shaikh, and Alfie Fuller were announced as main cast members. Ten additional cast members were announced on May 3, 2024: recurring cast members Kevin Corrigan, Alexandra Ruddy (Abdullah Saeed's wife), Tim Baltz, Zainne Saleh, Sakina Jaffrey, Amita Rao, Anish Jethmalani, and Minita Gandhi; and guest stars Geoffrey Arend and Azhar Usman. Poorna Jagannathan and Brian George were also announced as main cast members. On January 26, 2025, fashion stylist and Queer Eye star Tan France was announced as a guest star in the role of Zubair, a well-dressed gang leader. It is his first acting role.

## Release

Deli Boys premiered at Sundance 2025 in January. A teaser trailer was released on January 30, 2025. The series became available for streaming on Hulu in the United States on March 6, 2025. Internationally, Deli Boys was released on Disney+.

## Reception
### Viewership

TVision, using its Power Score to evaluate CTV programming through viewership and engagement across over 1,000 apps, calculated that Deli Boys was the eleventh most-streamed series from March 3–9. The series ranked No. 14 on Hulu's "Top 15 Today" list—a daily updated list of the platform's most-watched titles—on March 7. Deli Boys maintained the same position at No. 14 on Hulu on March 11. The streaming aggregator Reelgood, which tracks real-time data from 20 million U.S. users for original and acquired content across SVOD and AVOD services, reported that it ranked as the tenth most-streamed show in the U.S. for the week ending March 12.

### Critical response

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 95% of 20 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 7.5/10. The website's consensus reads: "A tasty crime caper where the laughs come first, Deli Boys busts a gut with Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh's bumbling chemistry and Poorna Jagannathan's scene-stealing turn." On Metacritic, the series holds a weighted average score of 74/100 based on 11 critics, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.
Devan Suber from IGN gave Deli Boys a rating of 9 out of 10, calling it a standout crime comedy with sharp humor, cultural relevance, and fast-paced dialogue. He praised Jagannathan's performance, naming her one of the best new TV characters of the year. While Suber noted that lead actors Saagar Shaikh and Asif Ali took some time to settle into their roles, he found the series consistently engaging. He also appreciated how Deli Boys highlighted aspects of the Pakistani immigrant experience without losing its comedic focus. Kourtnee Jackson from CNET described Deli Boys as a wildly entertaining mix of dark comedy, crime drama, and action, comparing it to Weeds and The Brothers Sun. She highlighted the strong chemistry between Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh as the Dar brothers and praised Jagannathan's performance as a memorable mentor. Although Jackson questioned the moral aspects of the characters' actions, she ultimately found the series engaging and entertaining.
Tania Hussain of Collider appreciated the show for its fast-paced, irreverent humor and sharp writing, blending absurd situations with authentic cultural elements. She found the performances of Ali and Shaikh to be particularly impressive, noting their strong chemistry and impeccable comedic timing. Hussain stated that the supporting cast, especially Jagannathan, added depth to the show. She complimented the series for its unpredictable storytelling, vibrant character dynamics, and unique mix of comedy and crime. Alison Herman of Variety stated that Deli Boys provides a fresh take on the crime comedy genre, using farcical humor to explore mafia tropes from a Pakistani American perspective. She praised the show's blend of dark comedy and cultural specificity. Jagannathan's portrayal of Auntie Lucky was noted as a standout performance, and the show's quick pacing and sitcom-style storytelling added to its appeal. However, Herman felt the series lacked emotional depth but concluded that Deli Boys remains a unique and engaging addition to Hulu's lineup.