6 days ago
Rajkumar Hirani Explains Bittersweet Pritam and Pedro Ending
Rajkumar Hirani made a streaming show called Pritam and Pedro.
Its two main characters solve an important cybercrime case.
However, another person gets praised for their work.
Hirani said this ending was inspired by the film Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro.
That older film also has characters who do the right thing but receive no reward.
Some police and cybercrime workers told Hirani this can happen in real life.
The show became very popular after appearing on Jio Hotstar.
Hirani says the second season is still being planned.
Rajkumar Hirani said Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro inspired Pritam and Pedro’s unconventional climax.
The series follows a cop and a tech-savvy partner who solve a major cybercrime case but lose the credit.
Cybercrime personnel told Hirani that juniors being denied recognition happens frequently in their departments.
Released July 3 on Jio Hotstar, the show was reported as India’s most-watched web series of 2026 so far.
Hirani said Pritam and Pedro Season Two is conceptual, with casting and creative details still undecided.
- Who
- Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, along with the cast and creative team of Pritam and Pedro.
- What
- Hirani explained that the series’ bittersweet ending was inspired by Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro and discussed the show’s reception and planned second season.
- Where
- The report concerns Hirani’s comments in Mumbai and the show’s release on Jio Hotstar.
- When
- Pritam and Pedro was released July 3; the report was dated Aug. 27.
- Why
- Hirani wanted an unconventional ending in which the protagonists solve the case but do not receive recognition.
Positive Reception
Critical Reservations
Audience and industry response
Positive Reception
Hirani said the series reached a large audience, and cybercrime personnel contacted him to say its workplace dynamic felt realistic.
Critical Reservations
Hirani said critics’ reviews were mixed, with both positive and negative responses.
Measuring success
Positive Reception
The Ormax Media report gave Hirani a numerical indication that many people had watched and liked the show.
Critical Reservations
Hirani said he judges audience response more by the detail and tone of viewers’ messages than by view counts alone.
Key facts
- Series
- Pritam and Pedro
- Creator and producer
- Rajkumar Hirani
- Streaming platform
- Jio Hotstar
- Release date
- July 3
- Reported performance
- India’s most-watched web series of 2026 so far, according to an Ormax Media report
- Inspiration
- The 1983 film Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro
- Next season
- Season Two has been announced but remains at the conceptual stage
Quotes
Rajkumar Hirani
Filmmaker and creator-producer of Pritam and Pedro
“I wanted them to be like two poor guys, who solve everything, but they don’t get anything. It’s like ‘Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro’ to me. Like, those two guys, played by Naseeruddin Shah and Ravi Baswani, do everything and they don’t get what they want. So, I was sure that this should be their ending.”
theprint.in
“A lot of cops and cyber people also saw it and called me, saying, ‘It happens daily in our department, someone else does the work, and our senior takes the credit’. In this show, the junior took it but someone else takes the credit. It happens often with us.”
theprint.in




