SPOILER ALERT: This article contains spoilers for “Deli Boys” Season 2, which premiered May 28 on Hulu with all six episodes.
Hulu’s crime comedy “Deli Boys” ramps things up in its second season, as Mir (Asif Ali) and Raj Dar (Saagar Shaikh) try to run their late father’s cocaine empire with the help of Lucky (Poorna Jagannathan).
But as “Deli Boys” returns, the two brothers are at a crossroads. Mir is focused on fulfilling his dad’s dreams of investing DarCo money in golf courses and country clubs, while Raj is focused on avenging their father’s death at the hands of his former lieutenant, Ahmad (Brian George).
“Baba’s dream was to get these golf courses going so our family can get out of having full reliance on a criminal enterprise to make money,” Ali tellsVariety. “His idea was to wash the money so that we can just be members of society. I think Mir’s character sacrificed a lot with breaking up his engagement and his wedding, and now he’s working to make the dream happen.”
Shaikh says that, although Raj is much more of a “peace and love” type, Ahmad’s actions cannot go unpunished.
“The reason we are in this mess is because Ahmad killed Baba,” he said. “[The Dar brothers] could have lived good lives. They could have been ignorant of Baba’s crimes. Raj could have still had his orgy cabal and his coping room.”
Raj eventually seeks out Ahmad, who is demanding a big cash payout for his silence surrounding DarCo and the cocaine smuggling. Raj shows up to the meeting armed to the teeth (and pretty stoned), but seemingly lets Ahmad live. Not long after, it is reported that Ahmad was killed with a car bomb and Raj is arrested for murder. Thankfully, Raj’s mugshot goes viral and he is quickly known as the “Fuck Me Felon.”
Aiding him in his release is a lawyer (played by Kumail Nanjiani) who also happens to have a romantic past with Lucky. Both Ali and Shaikh praised Nanjiani for his improv abilities, particularly in a court room scene opposite Andrew Rannells, who plays a hard-charging DA running for mayor. Nanjiani also gets to show off his ping pong skills against Fred Armisen, who plays casino magnate and money launderer Max Sugar.
“There are some scenes in there where they just let him rip, like that courtroom scene,” Ali says of Nanjiani. “That was so much improvising. I think I think came out really great, and also the ping pong thing. [Shaikh] got to play him.”
“During lunch, yeah, we played for an hour,” Shaikh adds. “It’s the best. I mean, he’s so cool, and he was so prepared and ready to play. It was so fun to just sit there and watch [Nanjinai and Rannells] do their thing. I love that guy.”
As the season comes to its end, the boys and Lucky come out on top, topple Max’s empire, and get Chadwater under their thumb. But the celebration is short-lived, as they receive a note from “the eldest Dar,” who warns they are coming to take their piece of Baba’s fortune.
Who that other Dar sibling might be? Ali has a theory.
“Robert Downey Jr., but he still plays Doom,” he jokes. “It’s part of the multiverse.”
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