I love that we've gotten away from South Asians just having to play doctors

Tan France and Andrew Rannells speak to LYNN RUSK about upending stereotypes as crime comedy series Deli Boys returns

- LYNN RUSK

BRUTAL: The Lazarus Project is about a secret South London gang leader

FOR years, South Asian characters on screen have often fallen into two categories: the “model minority” stereotype or the “struggling immigrant”.

In Deli Boys, a crime comedy series created by Abdullah Saeed, that trend is subverted by placing messy, flawed Pakistani-Americans at the centre of the story.

The series follows two brothers, Mir and Raj Dar, played by Asif Ali and Saagar Shaikh, whose lives are upended when the sudden death of their father reveals that his deli chain is actually a front for a drug empire.

In season two, the Dar brothers are drowning in dirty money while Philadelphia's most dangerous criminals circle the family business.

Joining the cast this season are Andrew Rannells, who plays state district attorney Andrew Chadwater; Fred Armisen, who stars as Max Sugar, a casino owner; and Kumail Nanjiani, who plays Danyal, Sugar’s lawyer.

Tan France also returns as Zubair, a violent South London gang leader.

Tan, best known as the fashion expert on the Netflix series Queer Eye, says Deli Boys was his first acting role.

The 43-year-old fashion designer and television personality says he was overjoyed to return for season two. “I loved being on season one, and I thought my character was technically dead at the end of that season,” explains the Doncaster-born star.

“I’m so glad that wasn’t the case, I was just knocked out. So the fact that I got to come back and play this guy who is so not me — he’s violent, he’s a straight, misogynistic douchebag — was incredible.