Rajkumar Hirani has spent decades building a reputation as one of Indian cinema’s most successful storytellers. His films often simplify complex subjects for mainstream audiences, but they usually compensate with warmth, memorable characters, and emotional honesty. Whether it was education in 3 Idiots, healthcare in Munna Bhai M.B.B.S., or immigration in Dunki, Hirani’s greatest strength has always been making audiences care before making a point.
That quality is surprisingly absent from Pritam and Pedro, his first streaming series as creator, co-writer, and producer.
Premiering on JioHotstar, the six-episode series attempts to blend cybercrime, comedy, and emotional drama into a light-hearted buddy adventure. While the premise carries potential and the cast remains committed, the execution feels dated, simplistic, and disconnected from the realities of the digital world it wants to explore.
A Familiar Buddy-Cop Formula
The story follows Pedro, played by Arshad Warsi, a Crime Branch officer who finds himself transferred to Goa’s Cyber Crime Cell after being blamed for a colleague’s mistake.
Pedro is deliberately portrayed as technologically challenged. For him, dealing with passwords and computers feels like an impossible task. The character’s discomfort with modern technology forms the foundation of much of the show’s humour.
Enter Pritam, played by Vir Hirani, a young man with impressive technical skills but little professional recognition. Despite being labelled a cyber expert, he works as a vacuum cleaner salesman while pursuing his interest in technology.
Their paths cross when the son of a powerful politician mysteriously disappears. Pedro sees the case as an opportunity to regain his former position, while Pritam hopes solving the mystery will help him recover a stolen tape recorder containing the voice of his late grandmother.
The setup promises a classic odd-couple dynamic. Unfortunately, the chemistry never develops into anything particularly memorable.
Cybercrime Without Complexity
The biggest issue with Pritam and Pedro lies in its treatment of cybercrime.
At a time when digital fraud, identity theft, online scams, and data breaches have become major societal concerns, the series approaches these topics with remarkable superficiality.
Rather than exploring how cybercrime actually operates or examining its impact on victims, the show reduces most technological concepts to simplistic explanations and broad generalisations.
The result is a version of cybercrime that feels closer to an educational skit than a contemporary crime drama.
Viewers expecting investigative depth or realistic procedural elements may find themselves disappointed. The show rarely digs beneath the surface and often relies on convenient plot developments instead of genuine problem-solving.
Arshad Warsi Brings Energy, But Not Enough
Arshad Warsi remains one of the most naturally likable performers in Hindi entertainment.
His comic timing and effortless screen presence help keep several scenes watchable even when the writing struggles. Pedro’s confusion and frustration with technology generate occasional laughs, largely because Warsi knows how to extract humour from familiar situations.
Vir Hirani delivers a sincere performance as Pritam, though the character itself lacks enough development to leave a lasting impression.
Together, the two actors share moments of charm, but the screenplay never fully capitalises on their partnership. Their relationship evolves in predictable ways and rarely surprises the audience.
A Surprisingly Generic Visual Identity
One of the more surprising aspects of the series is its visual presentation.
Director Avinash Arun Dharware has built a strong reputation through projects such as Killa, Paatal Lok, and Three of Us. His work is often distinguished by atmosphere, detail, and emotional texture.
Very little of that signature style is visible here.
The series adopts a standard streaming-platform aesthetic that feels functional rather than distinctive. Goa serves as the backdrop, but the location rarely becomes a meaningful part of the storytelling.
For a filmmaker known for creating rich visual worlds, the result feels unexpectedly generic.
Emotional Moments That Never Fully Land
The tape recorder subplot involving Pritam’s grandmother attempts to provide emotional grounding for the story.
The idea itself is appealing. A young man searching for a recording of a loved one’s voice carries genuine emotional potential. However, the show treats the storyline as a narrative device rather than an emotionally resonant journey.
Several scenes appear designed to create sentiment, yet they often arrive without the character development needed to make them impactful.
As a result, the emotional beats feel more calculated than earned.
Final Verdict
Pritam and Pedro is not an unwatchable series. It contains moments of humour, a few engaging performances, and an accessible structure that may appeal to casual viewers looking for light entertainment.
However, it never rises above mediocrity.
For a project carrying Rajkumar Hirani’s creative involvement and Avinash Arun’s directorial expertise, expectations were naturally higher. The series simplifies cybercrime to such an extent that it loses credibility, while its buddy-comedy formula rarely generates enough energy to compensate.
In the end, Pritam and Pedro feels less like a bold streaming debut and more like a concept that would have worked far better a decade ago.
Rating: 2.5/5
