film producer Rajkumar Hirani is making his OTT debut with the web-based crime comedy series “Pritam and Pedro”, which takes on extra significance as it marks the acting debut of his son, Virhilani. But unlike the typical star-kid story, Weir’s path to landing the role was anything but easy, and his father made it clear from the beginning that there would be no shortcuts or preferential treatment.
Rajkumar Hirani says Vir Hirani was never part of the original plan
According to Rajkumar Hirani, his son was not on the radar when the series was first developed. The filmmaker explained that he consciously avoided thinking about casting when writing to protect the creative process. He told Hindustan Times, “When we started writing, neither Arshad nor Veer were on the radar. When you are writing, you don’t want to think about casting because you will get bogged down.”At the time, Vir was completing his studies at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. In fact, Hirani advised his son to develop his own skills before pursuing roles in movies and TV series. He added, “I told him to come back from drama school, do theater and establish himself as an actor doing interesting work.”
Rajkumar Hirani says Vir Hirani had to audition like everyone else
After observing casting discussions at home and in the office, Vir expressed interest in the role. But his father immediately laid down ground rules. Rajkumar Hirani added, “I told him, ‘If you want to audition, then do it. Meet Avinash Arun. Convince him because he is directing the film. I can’t force myself. Even if it is my film, you have to audition. Don’t think you will get it just because you are my son.‘”Vir took the process seriously, reportedly rehearsing scenes with friends every night, recording multiple audition tapes, and then sending only the best ones to producers. He earned this position purely on merit.
About Pritam and Pedro
Created, co-written and produced by Rajkumar Hirani and directed by Avinash Arun, Pritam and Pedro marks the debut of Rajkumar Hirani as a streaming creator.In Pritam and Pedro, Vir plays the role of Pritam, a tech-savvy internet expert. Arshad Warsi Pedro plays an old-school cop who is reluctantly assigned to a cyber squad. Together they investigate the kidnapping of a minister’s son while battling a dangerous cybercriminal played by Vikrant Massey.The show will premiere on JioHotstar on July 3.
