Few comedies this year have landed with the kind of tonal confidence and cultural swagger as “Deli Boys,” the FX and Onyx Collective series now streaming on Hulu. Created by Abdullah Saeed and developed with Jenni Konner and Nora Silver, the ten-episode series follows two pampered Pakistani American brothers who are thrust into their late father’s shadowy criminal empire after his sudden death. What unfolds is a genre-blending crime comedy that balances outlandish stakes with grounded emotion. With Nisha Ganatra directing the pilot and Michelle Nader as showrunner, “Deli Boys” is a visually stylish, fast-talking series that’s earning praise for its bold tone and fresh perspective.
At the heart of the chaos is Asif Ali, who stars as Mir, the younger brother with a straight-laced exterior and a desperate need to keep the family legacy afloat, legally or not. Paired with the equally hilarious Saagar Shaikh as Raj, the more impulsive and erratic sibling, Ali balances stoicism with sly comedic timing. It’s a role that plays against type for the veteran actor and stand-up comic, whose past work includes “WandaVision,” “Don’t Worry Darling,” “BoJack Horseman,” and countless scene-stealing guest spots.
Ali, best known for his stand-up work and comedic energy, takes a sharp left turn in “Deli Boys.” Here, he plays Mir—the responsible younger brother reluctantly trying to keep the family business (and his reckless sibling) afloat. In real life, Ali is the youngest of four brothers. On the show, he channels the cautious ambition of a younger sibling thrust into leadership. It’s a role that trades big punchlines for precision—where the smallest flicker of discomfort or restraint becomes its own kind of comedy. His dramatic instincts are just as sharp, bringing weight to moments that might otherwise play like setups.
Beyond its genre-bending fun, Deli Boys also marks a cultural milestone. Created, written, directed, and performed by South Asian artists, it centers on a world rarely seen in mainstream comedy—and never quite like this. It’s not a show that slows down to explain itself. The cultural specificity, whether in family dynamics, power structures, or the cadence of a conversation, is baked in. There’s no winking at the audience. That trust in both the material and the viewer is part of what makes the series feel so fresh. “This show wasn’t made through a mandate,” Ali says. “It’s just a good idea that happens to have South Asian people in it.” That distinction is key. The show doesn’t center its identity on representation. Instead, it folds that identity into sharp writing, standout aesthetics, and laugh-out-loud performances.
Asif Ali spoke to Awards Focus about landing the role of Mir, crafting the sibling dynamic, balancing comedy with cultural specificity, and why playing Mir may be one of the most rewarding challenges of his career.
Awards Focus: Congratulations on “Deli Boys”! It’s such a distinctive show. Can you walk us through how it all came together and how you got involved?
Asif Ali: Oh, well, I didn’t write the show. It was Abdullah Saeed, who worked at Vice. He did “Drugs” over there, and he was trying to get staffed on another show. So they told him to just write the craziest, most outlandish thing he could think of—something to show people what he was into and what his voice was. He never thought it would actually get made. But when people started reading it, the reaction wasn’t just, “Hey, we want you on staff,” it was, “We should sell this show.”
So Jenni (Konner) and Nora (Silver) got involved, and they believed in it. Onyx loved it too, and that’s how it happened. When I saw the pilot script, it was immediately obvious this was something special. In my 14 years acting, it was one of the few scripts that felt completely unique. It was an immediate yes.
AF: You’re one of four brothers in real life. How much of that sibling dynamic informed your performance as Mir?
Ali: Oh yeah, a lot. I’d say I’m probably somewhere between Mir and Raj. I’m not as Type A as Mir, and I’m definitely not as wild as Raj, but if I had to pick, I’d probably lean more toward Raj. Being the youngest in my family and Saagar being a middle kid—we had a lot of shared insights and fun stories we could draw from. The chemistry was immediate.
When you have people on set who really want to be there, it shows. It didn’t feel like a job—it felt like something we were all grateful to be doing. That kind of energy permeated everything—from props to costumes to catering. It adds up on screen.
AF: The show has this balance between stylized violence and grounded emotional storytelling. Was there ever a moment where things had to get dialed back?
Ali: Honestly, no. If anything, it was about pushing more. We played with things—like how much blood we could use. Nisha Ganatra (Executive Producer) was pushing hard for more. And we all agreed: it needed to be heightened to make the stakes feel real, even in the middle of a joke. That contrast is part of what makes it work.
AF: There’s a moment in the pilot where Auntie Lucky (Poorna Jagannathan) wipes blood from your eye. It’s quiet, but seems culturally relevant. Were those moments in the script, or did they emerge organically?
Ali: A lot of those touches came naturally because we had people of the culture in the writers’ room and on set. We didn’t have to explain things. It wasn’t like, “Wait, why would a mom do that?” It was, “Oh yeah, that’s exactly what my mom would do.” That trust meant we could throw in stuff—like Urdu cursing or squatting instead of sitting at a table—and it all just fit. No subtitles needed.
AF: You’re often the chaotic character in other shows. What was it like playing the straight man?
Ali: Definitely a challenge! I’m used to being the wild one. This time I had to think more like a point guard—setting people up to go to a 12. I kept thinking about “Arrested Development”—we all love David Cross and Will Arnett, but Jason Bateman has the hardest job. That was what I was going for here: make everyone else shine while still finding moments for myself.
Honestly, it’s something I was really excited about because in a lot of my past work I’ve played the wildcard. So getting to play the grounded guy, the one holding it all together—it was different. But it also gave me a chance to show another side of what I can do. And as a comedian, that’s part of the fun—getting to surprise people a little.
AF: There are a lot of cultural layers in the show. How did the team talk about avoiding stereotypes while still embracing specificity?
Ali: I think the key is just giving these characters time. Usually, two brown guys working at a deli would be a background joke. But give them ten episodes, and you humanize them by default. You start peeling back layers. So then you can satirize the trope while also dismantling it.
AF: As someone who’s had to navigate reductive roles in the past, what was it like stepping into something that felt more authentic?
Ali: It was incredibly refreshing. A lot of us have had that gut feeling—like, “This role is going to be bad for us.” But this wasn’t that. This was about legacy, responsibility, identity—all through a comedy lens. That’s what makes it powerful. You’re not begging an audience to care. You’re just telling a great story.
I’ve played roles before where I read the script and just knew it wouldn’t be good for me or for us. And then you realize no one from your community is in the room—not in the writers’ room, not directing, not producing. And you’re like, “Oh, I’m just confirming the same bias audiences already have.” That’s the stuff that breaks your heart.
Here, we got ten episodes… to explore who these guys are. That’s enough time to humanize them, break down the stereotype, and then satirize it. The fact that the leads, writers, and crew were part of the community—that made it different. You could feel it.
This is something I thought about the whole time we were shooting. I’ve never had this big a role on a show before. And I had to pull back this idea in my head—this thing where you go, “I haven’t seen people like me in this kind of role, so maybe I can’t do it.” That’s how conditioned we are.
AF: And what kind of impact do you hope “Deli Boys” has moving forward?
Ali: What I love about this is that it’s just a genuinely good idea that happens to have South Asian people in it. Because they’re involved on every level—writing, directing, acting—all of the specificity and nuance just comes out as a byproduct. And it feels authentic.
What I love about this… is that it’s just a good, passionate idea that happens to be about South Asians. Abdullah genuinely loves mob stories. His father-in-law produced “The Godfather,” so that obsession is real. That’s what makes it work.
What I want is for someone to walk into a pitch meeting and say, “It’s ‘Deli Boys’ meets whatever,” and have an exec go, “Yep, I know that works.” That’s a huge shift.
AF: Final thoughts?
Ali: Just that I loved being a part of this. I hope we get a second season. We shot in Chicago at Center Stages and it was such a fun vibe—really small stages, but surrounded by some of the best shows out there. We were right next to “The Bear,” and it was wild just being in that energy. Everyone gave 100%, and it never felt like anyone was phoning it in. And we were coming off the strike, so there was this hunger to get back to work. Everyone was like, “Let’s give this everything we’ve got.” And that’s rare. It was one of the best sets I’ve ever worked on. Everyone gave 100%, and we knew we were making something rare. I’d do it all again in a heartbeat.