You know Poorna Jagannathan. In the recently wrapped Netflix comedy Never Have I Ever, she played the strict, sarcastic and oh-so-warm mom, while in Ramy, she played a sexy, mysterious older mom the lead craves. In The Night Of, she played the quietly devastating mother of a framed man. In between, there has been a fitting slew of doctors.
In the upcoming Hulu series Deli Boys, Jagannathan steals all the scenes, just as she’s always done. But this time around, she’s a sharp, powerful and often ruthless woman who is as nurturing as she is cutthroat. She’s hilarious, too, in English and Hindi. The show, a genre-blending comedy, thriller and family drama stands out not only for its gripping narrative but also for its refreshing representation of South Asian characters in complex, multi-dimensional roles.
Created by former Vice journalist Abdullah Saeed (who you can thank for the twisty James Beard Award-nominated series Bong Appétit), Deli Boys follows two spoiled Pakistani American brothers who lose everything when their convenience store magnate baba (father) suddenly dies. Soon after, they make a shocking discovery: their baba was using the store as a front for his real business—drug smuggling. It’s a fun twist on the South Asian five-and-dime-owner cliché, and the flip of the script doesn’t stop there.
There are few stereotypes to be found: no accents, no white-washed commentary on cultural traditions, no desexualizing, no one is the butt of a joke solely because of the colour of their skin. That is particularly extraordinary for a show centred on a Muslim family.
“It’s really hard to try and describe the show, there’s nothing out there [like it],” said Jagannathan. “I think genre can limit us. Never Have I Ever was a beautiful vehicle to tell grief through comedy, and Deli Boys is the story of family through comedy. I do feel like genres put us into boxes, and when it’s multi-genre, those boxes open up.”
The actress, who plays Lucky, a family friend who teaches the brothers (played by Ms. Marvel’s Saagar Shaikh and WandaVision’s Asif Ali) the bloody basics of the underworld, relished the opportunity to portray a character who defies traditional portrayals of South Asian women on screen. She said, “You don’t have women like this on TV, especially [as] a woman. We never get that. We’re all multi-dimensional. I’m still an immigrant woman, I’m still maternal, I’m still that character, and yet, I’ve killed 10 people before having my morning chai.”
It’s notable, too, that Deli Boys is dropping only a few months after the impressively offensive Amazon Prime sitcom The Pradeeps of Pittsburgh, also centring a South Asian family, about their lives after migrating to America from India. By choosing not to squeeze itself into the standard, prime-time format, Deli Boys succeeds. Yes, since the era of prestige TV began, that’s nothing new. But it is for a brown cast. Consider it the brown sitcom version of The Sopranos. Really!
“It’s the sweet versus the sinister,” Jagannathan explained. “You’ll have a scene of deep, heartfelt connection, and then someone is shot in the head in the next moment.” That balance, she said, is what drew her to the project: a series that defies categorization while allowing for an authentic portrayal of its characters.
“You don’t have women like this on TV, especially [as] a woman. We never get that. We’re all multi-dimensional. I’m still an immigrant woman, I’m still maternal, I’m still that character, and yet, I’ve killed 10 people before having my morning chai.”
Deli Boys revolves around a Pakistani family but boasts a diverse mix of South Asian actors and creatives, something Jagannathan finds deeply significant. “We don’t get to have that mix a lot of the time,” she said. “This cast is one of the best I’ve ever worked with. … The writing allows us to be our authentic selves on the one hand, and a heightened version of ourselves on the other.”
The series is part of Hulu’s partnership with Onyx Collective, a company dedicated to creating and amplifying BIPOC-created stories. Its previous productions include the promising but recently cancelled comedies Unprisoned and How To Die Alone, which certainly puts the pressure on for Deli Boys. The hope is, of course, for a renewal so it gets the chance to refine and evolve.
With powerhouse producers like Nisha Ganatra (Chutney Popcorn, Late Night) and Jenni Konner (Girls, Welcome to Chippendales, Single Drunk Female) backing the show, Deli Boys is certainly ahead of the game, benefitting from a level of industry support that South Asian-led stories still struggle to attain.
“No matter how good a story is, it needs backing,” Jagannathan said. “We’re just not at that stage yet where we can get greenlit easily. Abdullah wrote this as a spec script in 2020, never expecting it to get picked up. The fact that, four years later, we have a full 10-episode series is incredible. Our expectations were so low.”
Jagannathan’s own career is a testament to the slow but steady progress of representation in Hollywood. From her breakout role in Delhi Belly to her acclaimed turn in The Night Of and her recent success in Never Have I Ever, she has consistently chosen roles that challenge stereotypes. Her role in Deli Boys continues this trajectory, allowing her to embrace a character that is, most importantly, wholly original. And, like, cool.
One of her favourite lines in the show? “You two are as soft as my ex-boyfriend when he’s not getting choked.”
By the way, delivering that line took some adjusting. As Jagannathan explained, “My tendency is to reel stuff in, make it grounded, but with this character, I had to really learn to let go and let loose. That was a lot of fun.”
Costume-wise, the role also transformed her personal style. With a delicious laugh, she revealed, “I never wore fake fur and sunglasses before, and now I’m that bitch who wears fake fur and sunglasses.” Absolutely.
But the importance of Deli Boys extends beyond just its entertainment value. The success of this show could pave the way for more diverse and complex narratives centring on brown families and characters. As Jagannathan pointed out, while the industry is making strides, there is still work to be done in ensuring these stories are not just told but also given the same level of investment and promotion as their mainstream counterparts. All of which makes Deli Boys a “once-in-a-lifetime kind of show.”
Tune in on March 6 on Hulu in the U.S. or Disney+ in Canada when all episodes are set to premiere.
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