Bike Shed Moto Co. in Los Angeles’s art district turned into a massive convenience store Thursday night as members of the industry gathered to celebrate the forthcoming premiere of Deli Boys with Hulu and The Hollywood Reporter. The series, a part of Hulu’s Onyx Collective, stars Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh as Mir and Raj Dar — Pakistani American brothers who, upon their father Baba (Iqbal Theba)’s sudden death, discover his successful business empire is really a criminal enterprise. The comedy — set to premiere on the streamer on March 6 — also stars Poorna Jagannathan as Lucky Auntie, Baba’s close confidante who’s eager to take the reins at Dar Co., and Brian George as Ahmad, an equally power-hungry member of the Dar company. “Our mission at Onyx Collective is to empower artists to tell stories that reflect their experience and point of view and we’re often having to push our creative partners to be bold and take risks, but I assure you this was not a challenge with Deli Boys creator Abdullah Saeed,” Onyx Collective president Tara Duncan said in introducing the creative team behind the series at the premiere. “There is absolutely nothing like Deli Boys on television and I assure you there will be nothing else like it for a long time. I have to say there is nothing I need more right now than a belly laugh, and this show hits the spot.” Mindy Kaling was among the first to arrive for the red carpet, snapping pics in front of a replicated storefront with Jagannathan and Jenni Konner, executive producer for Deli Boys; Saeed, Nora Silver, Nisha Ganatra and showrunner Michelle Nader were also all in attendance. Among the additional actors, writers, producers and influencers at the premiere were Alfie Fuller, Alexandra Ruddy and Tim Baltz, who star in the series, plus 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. (See photos of the event here.) During arrivals, guests filed into the screening area where they could grab chips and popcorn from a popup deli counter or pick up one of four crafted cocktails whose names were tied to the series: “Fit for the Boardroom,” “Brotherhood Brew,” “Mega Glug Margarita” and “Lucky’s Lemon Drop.” Konner, in her opening remarks, relayed the five-year journey to making Deli Boys, praising collaborators like Duncan and Disney Entertainment Co-chairman Dana Walden for their support along the way. “I just want to say a word here about 20th [Century Fox] and Onyx, which is that it is a privilege to work with a company dominated by women,” said Konner. “If you would’ve told me and Michelle 20 years ago that all of our bosses would’ve been women, we would’ve laughed you out of Kate Mantilini,” she added to a roar of laughter and applause. Saeed also recalled the long process of making his series a reality, from getting passed on by all major streamers — including Hulu, initially — to surviving a pandemic, a writer’s strike, and now a socio-political climate which once again targets Black and Brown people. “I never thought when we were making this show that this would be the atmosphere into which we’d release it,” said Saeed. “This was like the, ‘Oh, what’s after Islamophobia show,’ but clearly, it’s a little too soon for that. But, honestly, nothing about this show has been happenstance. It’s touched. Somehow, this series has survived so many slings and arrows, and everything has happened for a reason, and I believe that everything will continue to happen for a reason.” Following the screening of the show’s pilot episode, the Bollywood Svetlana Tulasi Dance Company performed in front of guests and led them to the after party where industry insiders flooded THR’s portrait studio. A DJ spun tunes as attendees noshed on a menu of passed hors d’oeuvres specifically curated for the event which included chicken and paneer tikka skewers, lamb curry, vegetable samosas, mango lassi and a potato pancake. Nods to the series were incorporated throughout the space, such as a memorial to Baba which included gold framed photos of him and his family inside a glass case, a replica of Mir’s MBA diploma along with a name placard that red “2nd son energy” and a coping room where guests could relax amid candles and lush seating. “I wanted to make TV because I love TV,” Saeed reflected on his series. “I think it says a lot about us and about the people making it, and I always wanted to make it from my world view and didn’t know if that was possible. Not long ago, the world evolved in a way that has allowed me to do that.”