Indian-origin actor Adhir Kalyan to play lead in Chuck Lorre's CBS comedy

Los Angeles: Indian-origin actor Adhir Kalyan is set to star in Chuck Lorre's CBS comedy pilot "The United States of Al".

The show was given a pilot production commitment in October, reported Deadline.

It follows the friendship between Riley, a Marine combat veteran struggling to readjust to civilian life in Ohio, and Awalmir (Al), the Afghan interpreter who served with his unit and has just arrived to start a new life in America.

Kalyan is best known for playing Timmy Patel in "Rules of Engagement" for five seasons.

He has also appeared in Netflix's "Arrested Development" as Raja, and Amazon's "I Love Dick" as Geoff.

David Goetsch and Maria Ferrari are attached as writers on the Warner Bros. Television and Chuck Lorre Productions, Inc. comedy.

Religious studies scholar Reza Aslan and Mahyad Tousi will serve as executive producers along with Goetsch and Ferrari.