Mindy Kaling and Stars Celebrate Hulu’s Hilarious New Series ‘Deli Boys’!

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On Thursday evening, Bike Shed Moto Co. in Los Angeles’s art district was transformed into a large general store, as people from the industry convened to commemorate the upcoming premiere of “Deli Boys” on Hulu and “The Hollywood Reporter”.

The Hulu Onyx Collective series, titled “Mir & Raj Dar,” features Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh as the Pakistani American siblings Mir and Raj. Upon their father Baba’s (Iqbal Theba) unexpected demise, they uncover that his prosperous business empire was actually a front for criminal activities. The upcoming comedy, slated to debut on March 6th on the streaming platform, also includes Poorna Jagannathan as Lucky Auntie, a trusted advisor of Baba’s who aims to seize control at Dar Co., and Brian George as Ahmad, another ambitious figure within the Dar company.

At Onyx Collective, our purpose is to enable artists to share narratives that resonate with their personal experiences and perspectives. Typically, we find ourselves urging our creative collaborators to be daring and take risks, but this wasn’t the case with the creator of Deli Boys, Abdullah Saeed, as Tara Duncan, Onyx Collective president, pointed out while introducing the team behind the series at its premiere. Deli Boys is uniquely original and you won’t find anything quite like it on TV for a long time. To be honest, what I crave more than anything right now is a good laugh, and this show delivers perfectly.

At the red carpet premiere, it was Mindy Kaling who arrived first, taking photos with Jagannathan and Jenni Konner, the executive producer for “Deli Boys”. Joining them were Saeed, Nora Silver, Nisha Ganatra, and showrunner Michelle Nader. Other attendees at the event included actors, writers, producers, and influencers like Alfie Fuller, Alexandra Ruddy, and Tim Baltz who are part of the series cast. Additionally present were Sarayu Blu, Guillermo Díaz, Benjamin Norris, Richa Moorjani, Lilly Singh, Tan France, Prayag Mishra, Jay Shetty, Lilan Bowden, Aasif Mandvi, Azhar Usman, and Jordan Conley. (You can find photos of the event here.)

Mindy Kaling was among the first people to arrive at the “Deli Boys” premiere. Along with her were some executives and a few other famous faces like Alfie Fuller, Alexandra Ruddy, Tim Baltz, Sarayu Blu, Guillermo Díaz, Benjamin Norris, Richa Moorjani, Lilly Singh, Tan France, Prayag Mishra, Jay Shetty, Lilan Bowden, Aasif Mandvi, Azhar Usman, and Jordan Conley. (Photos from the event can be found here.)

Upon their arrival, guests made their way to the screening area, where they could help themselves to a popup deli counter offering chips, popcorn, or opt for one of four specially crafted cocktails. The names of these cocktails were connected to the series: “Fit for the Boardroom,” “Brotherhood Brew,” “Mega Glug Margarita,” and “Lucky’s Lemon Drop.”

Guests arrived and headed straight to the screening area. There they found a popup deli counter offering snacks like chips and popcorn, and also four unique cocktails named after the series: “Fit for the Boardroom,” “Brotherhood Brew,” “Mega Glug Margarita,” and “Lucky’s Lemon Drop.

In her initial speech, Konner shared the five-year process of creating “Deli Boys“, acknowledging collaborators such as Duncan and Disney Entertainment Co-chairman Dana Walden for their assistance throughout. “I’d like to take a moment to express my gratitude,” she said, “for working with a company primarily run by women. If someone had told us 20 years ago that all our superiors would be women, we would have found it laughable,” she continued, eliciting a burst of laughter and applause from the audience at Kate Mantilini.

Saeed reminisced about the lengthy journey that brought his series to life, starting with being rejected by all major streaming platforms, including Hulu at first. He endured a pandemic, a writers’ strike, and now finds himself navigating through a socio-political atmosphere that once again singles out Black and Brown individuals.

As a gamer speaking, I never imagined we’d be releasing this game into the current climate, but here we are. It feels like we were asking, “What comes after Islamophobia?” but it seems too early for that conversation. However, nothing about this game has been by chance. Somehow, it’s managed to dodge countless obstacles, and everything that’s happened has a purpose. I truly believe that every step of its journey was destined, and will continue to be so.

After the premiere of the show’s first episode, the Svetlana Tulasi Dance Company from Bollywood danced for guests and guided them to an after-party where many people in the entertainment industry posed for photos at THR’s photo studio. A DJ played music as guests enjoyed a variety of hors d’oeuvres, such as chicken and paneer tikka skewers, lamb curry, vegetable samosas, mango lassi, and potato pancakes, all specially prepared for this event.

After the first episode aired, the Bollywood dance group performed, then led everyone to an after-party where they could take pictures with industry professionals. A DJ played music while guests ate food like chicken skewers, lamb curry, samosas, mango drink, and potato pancakes that were made just for this event.

Tributes to the series were scattered throughout the space in various ways: there was a memorial dedicated to Baba, featuring gold-framed photographs of him and his family enclosed within a glass case; a replica of Mir’s MBA diploma was displayed, accompanied by a sign reading “2nd son energy”; and a serene room for relaxation was provided, complete with candles and comfortable seating.

Reflecting on my series, I pondered, “I’ve always been captivated by the magic of TV, so it was only natural for me to venture into its realm.” I believe that our creations mirrors our essence and the creators themselves. For a long time, I wondered if I could express my unique perspective through this medium, never quite sure if it was feasible. However, recently, the world has shifted in a way that has opened up opportunities for me to do just that.

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2025-02-28 22:25