Mumbai, June 29 : Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani has revealed how his upcoming show â??Pritam and Pedroâ?? will help change the perception that Arshad Warsi is limited to only comedy roles.

Speaking exclusively to IANS, he shared that the project is designed to showcase a different side of the actor, breaking his long-held on-screen stereotype. We asked Hirani about his third collaboration with Arshad Warsiâ??how did he zero in on him for the role of a cop in Pritam and Pedro, a cybercrime series? Also, how was the idea for the project conceptualized?

To this, the â??Munna Bhai MBBS 3â?? director said, "The first two films of my life were with Arshad, and after that, also, I wanted to work with him, but finally, there is a script, there are some roles, and with those roles, you decide who should do it and who should not do it. We were going to do it once or twice, but due to some date, we couldn't do it.â??

â??Then we got a chance here in Pritam and Pedro, and I felt that this was different from what Arshad had done. This is not the circuit; this is, of course, lighthearted humor, and all, but there is a serious character, and his backstory is very serious. I will not say that you will see Arshad differently because you have seen Arshad playing a serious role, and the perception is that Arshad only does comedy. You will see that there is comedy and there is a very serious side to him also,â?? explained Hirani.

Further, speaking about how the show differs from other cybercrime dramas, the director said, â??I have not seen all the cybercrime dramas, but the ones that I have seen are very serious and dark. This is a story of cybercrime, but it has a lot of interesting characters and their backstories. There is a lot of humor and emotion, and it is very fast. You will not get stuck anywhere. You will not get the feeling that the web series has a long story.â??

On a related note, â??Pritam and Pedroâ?? is created, co-written, edited, and produced by Rajkumar Hirani. The series is directed by Avinash Arun and also stars Vir Hirani, Vikrant Massey, and Boman Irani in pivotal roles. The series draws inspiration from Amit Dubeyâ??s books Hidden Files and Return of the Trojan Horse.

The web series â??Pritam and Pedroâ?? is scheduled to premiere on July 3, 2026.

/IANS