University of Maryland alum, actor Poorna Jagannathan, stars in Hulu’s new series Deli Boys, premiering Thursday.
In an interview with The Diamondback, Jagannathan discussed her chaotic character, Lucky Auntie, and her time as a Terp in the ‘90s when she swapped astrophysics for journalism and theater — a pivot that led her to acting.
Deli Boys follows Pakistani American brothers Raj and Mir Dar, who inherit a chain of Philadelphia delis after their father’s sudden death. But their lives spiral when they discover the family empire is a front for smuggling and selling drugs.
Raj — played by Saagar Shaikh — and Mir — played by Asif Ali — are hilariously anxious and unprepared, flailing through their criminal misadventures. They fumble with disposing of bodies, hiding drugs and even attempting murder — all without the grit or strength to pull it off.
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The show is a bizarrely wonderful mix of workplace drama, crime thriller and pure slapstick comedy that checks every viewer’s box. Raj, the laid-back brother with a shaman girlfriend and a collection of bongs, clashes with Mir, the more serious but perpetually anxious sibling.
Their relatable, brotherly dynamic fuels the season’s 10 episodes. Despite the characters’ comedic performances, the Dar brothers grapple with their father’s death and the realization that he wasn’t the stand-up guy they thought he was.
So how will they navigate the dangerous, complicated and sometimes political world of crime? Enter Jagannathan as Lucky Auntie, their sharp, no-nonsense boss.
Lucky Auntie, the temporary CEO of the deli — or rather, the drug empire — looks every bit the mob wife with fur coats, long nails, voluminous hair and designer handbags. But make no mistake — she’s the boss.
“It’s so comedic to me,” Jagannathan said to The Diamondback. “The character really allowed me to incorporate a lot of physical comedy and just be larger than life.”
The show, undoubtedly lighthearted, infuses comedy with sharp political commentary to draw attention to deeper messages. At a time where pop culture feminism often gets dismissed as an eye-rolling byproduct of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, Deli Boys champions powerful women in the workplace — albeit a highly unconventional one.
Jagannathan described Lucky Auntie with an unabashed boldness that mirrors her character.
“Lucky is just fucking crazy,” she said.
She’s not wrong. Lucky Auntie is crazy in a refreshing way. She fights back against an all-male board that runs the drug trade, shutting down their sexist jokes and grumbles about her ambition. She’s power-hungry, and she owns it, unapologetically taking up space.
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Beyond Deli Boys, Jagannathan is an advocate for the arts. As a 1996 graduate of this university’s journalism program, she said she struggled in astrophysics before switching majors.
“It was so hard for me,” Jagannathan said. “I just kept failing my classes over and over again, and then when the arts opened up, and I took acting classes, this whole other part of my brain got activated.”
If it wasn’t for the poor grades in science classes, Jagannathan would have never discovered her niche, she said.
“I felt so much more like myself and so much less like a failure … and more like I was coming into myself,” Jagannathan said.
Jagannathan’s passion for the arts and acting shines through in her performance as Lucky Auntie. Her unique dynamic and genuineness makes Jagannathan’s Deli Boys character unforgettable.
