Avinash Arun Reveals Why Arshad Warsi And Vir Hirani Were Chosen For Pritam And Pedro

One of the biggest talking points surrounding Pritam And Pedro has been its unique casting, especially the pairing of Arshad Warsi and newcomer Vir Hirani. At a recent interaction, director Avinash Arun shared how the two actors came on board the upcoming crime-comedy series and why they were the perfect fit for their respective roles.

Speaking about Arshad Warsi's casting as Pedro, Avinash revealed that the actor was always part of Rajkumar Hirani's vision for the show. "I believe Arshad Sir was already in Raju Sir's mind while the script was being written—he knew Arshad Sir would play the role," Avinash said. The casting makes perfect sense, considering Warsi's ability to effortlessly balance humor, emotion and street-smart charm, qualities that have made him a fan favorite over the years.

The bigger challenge, however, was finding the right actor to play Pritam, a young tech-savvy character who would bring freshness and energy to the story. Avinash recalled first meeting Vir Hirani while the latter was busy developing a project of his own. Around the same time, Vir invited the team to watch a stage performance in which he delivered a lengthy monologue. That performance turned out to be a turning point.

"I saw a play where he had a 15-minute monologue—in English—and the way he commanded the stage and connected with the audience was truly amazing," Avinash shared. He added that both he and his associate Rutuja immediately felt that Vir had the freshness required for the role. What impressed the director even more was discovering later that Vir had already been independently reading screenplay drafts, preparing for the character and even auditioning himself for various scenes before officially being considered.

Avinash also revealed that when he suggested Vir's name to Rajkumar Hirani, the filmmaker encouraged him to assess the actor through auditions despite knowing that Vir had trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). Reflecting on Vir's journey, the director praised his dedication and growth as a performer. "He is incredibly earnest and hardworking; I find him to be such a sharp actor—always open to ideas. He takes instructions very seriously, understands them perfectly, and pours his heart and soul into the performance. Looking at where he started versus where he is now—I am genuinely surprised and very, very happy for him," Avinash said.

Created and produced by Rajkumar Hirani, Pritam And Pedro marks the filmmaker's much-anticipated OTT debut. Directed by Avinash Arun, the series stars Arshad Warsi, Vir Hirani, Vikrant Massey, Boman Irani and Mona Singh. Set against the backdrop of a cyber-crime mystery, the show premieres on JioHotstar on July 3, 2026, and promises a mix of humor, suspense and an unlikely partnership between two very different worlds.