Archive · 8 Sep 2026
Rajkumar Hirani Traces Pritam & Pedro to Pandemic Cybercrime Research
Rajkumar Hirani became interested in online scams during the COVID-19 pandemic.
He read about many fraud cases and wanted to understand how they worked.
He spoke with cybercrime officials and ethical hackers in Mumbai and Delhi.
Their stories showed him that digital crime was a large and complicated subject.
Hirani felt that a two-hour movie would not have enough space to tell it properly.
This led to the streaming series Pritam & Pedro.
The show was directed by Avinash Arun and produced by Hirani.
It combines cybercrime, comedy and drama, and Hirani is now working on a second season.
Rajkumar Hirani says Pritam & Pedro began with his pandemic-era interest in online fraud cases.
He spoke with cybercrime officials and ethical hackers in Mumbai and Delhi to understand digital crime.
Hirani concluded that the subject was too extensive for a standard two-hour film.
Pritam & Pedro is directed by Avinash Arun and produced by Hirani.
The cybercrime thriller-comedy stars Vikrant Massey, Arshad Warsi and Vir Hirani, while a second season is now in development.
- Who
- Rajkumar Hirani, along with director Avinash Arun and the cast of Pritam & Pedro.
- What
- The origin and development of Pritam & Pedro, a cybercrime thriller-comedy series.
- When
- The idea began during the COVID-19 pandemic; Hirani is now working on a second season.
- Where
- Hirani researched the subject through discussions with officials and ethical hackers in Mumbai and Delhi.
- Why
- He found the subject too broad and detailed to fit into a two-hour film.
- Series
- Pritam & Pedro
- Producer
- Rajkumar Hirani
- Director
- Avinash Arun
- Genre
- Cybercrime thriller-comedy
- Lead cast
- Vikrant Massey, Arshad Warsi and Vir Hirani
- Research period
- The COVID-19 pandemic
- Current development
- A second season is in progress