'Even if it's my film, he had to audition': Rajkumar Hirani on son Vir's acting debut in Pritam and Pedro | Interview

Rajkumar Hirani says son Vir earned his debut the hard way, auditioning for Pritam and Pedro after expressing interest in the role.

Star kids often find themselves at the centre of conversations about privilege and easy launches. But for Vir Hirani, his acting debut came with an audition, not an automatic casting call. As filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani gets ready to introduce his son in Pritam and Pedro on JioHotstar, he says he was clear from the start that Vir wouldn't be handed the role because of his surname. Instead, the young actor had to go through the same audition process as everyone else, earning the part on merit. Interestingly, it was Vir who first expressed interest in the role after watching the casting process unfold from home.

Rajkumar Hirani on son Vir's debut: 'He had to audition' (PTI)

Writing process of Pritam and Pedro

When Rajkumar Hirani first began developing the series, casting wasn't on his mind and that included his son, Vir Hirani. Speaking exclusively to Hindustan Times, the filmmaker says, “When we started writing, neither Arshad nor Vir was on the radar. When you're writing, you don't want to think of the cast because you get stuck.”

At the time, Vir was studying at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London. Hirani wanted him to earn his stripes before stepping in front of the camera. “I told him to come back from drama school, do theatre and establish yourself as an actor doing interesting work,” he adds.

'Even if it's my film, you have to audition'

The role of Pritam Pedro wasn't originally meant for Vir. In fact, Rajkumar Hirani said the team spent a long time searching for the right actor before Vir, who had been watching the casting discussions unfold at home and in the office, put himself forward. But there were no shortcuts.

"I told him, 'If you want to audition for it, do it. Meet Avinash Arun. Convince him because he's directing it. I can't impose myself. Even if it's my film, you have to audition. Don't think you're going to get it just because you're my son,'" Hirani says.

Vir then got to work, rehearsing scenes with a friend every night, filming multiple audition tapes and carefully picking the strongest ones before presenting them to the makers.

Arshad Warsi says Vir is like his son

While Vir landed the role after auditioning, he also had someone looking out for him on set; Arshad Warsi. The bond goes back years. For the unversed, Vir played Short Circuit, the son of Arshad's iconic Circuit, in Lage Raho Munna Bhai.

Reflecting on working with him again, Arshad says, "More than a brother, I'd say he's like my son. He's not just a co-star for me from any angle."

The actor admits he was far more protective than usual. He adds, "I'm never this attentive to my co-stars, but this was a little special. Obviously, he's Raju's son, but that's not the only reason. He's a very good boy. If he wasn't a good person, none of us would give him that much attention. We like good people, it's as simple as that."

Praising Vir's work ethic, Arshad says, “He's hardworking, he wants to do well, his principles are in the right place. He's got a bright future ahead because people will want to work with him again and again. He's a stress-free actor. I'll always be there with him.”

What is Pritam and Pedro about?

Pritam and Pedro is an upcoming cybercrime comedy-drama created, co-written and produced by Rajkumar Hirani, marking his streaming debut as a creator and introducing his son, Vir Hirani, as an actor.

Directed by Avinash Arun, the series pairs Vir's tech-savvy cyber expert, Pritam, with Arshad Warsi's Pedro, an old-school cop reluctantly shifted to the cyber cell despite barely understanding the digital world. As the unlikely duo investigates the kidnapping of a minister's son and takes on a dangerous cybercriminal played by Vikrant Massey, the show premieres on JioHotstar on July 3.