Pritam and Pedro (2026) Review: Rajkumar Hirani’s OTT Debut Is a House Divided

Creator/Producer: Rajkumar Hirani | Director: Avinash Arun | Cast: Arshad Warsi, Vir Hirani, Vikrant Massey, Mona Singh, Shruti Marathe, Satyadeep Misra | Genre: Cybercrime Comedy-Thriller | Episodes: 6 | Platform: JioHotstar | Premiere Date: July 3, 2026

Note: Pritam and Pedro is a 6-episode streaming series, not a feature film — but with search interest treating it as one, we’re covering it in full here.

Plot Overview

Set in Goa, Pritam and Pedro pairs Pedro Gonsalves (Arshad Warsi), a Crime Branch cop demoted to the unglamorous Cyber Crime Cell after taking the fall for a colleague’s mistake, with Pritam (Vir Hirani), a tech-savvy young “cyber genius” who’s currently selling vacuum cleaners to get by. After Pritam is arrested following a police dispute and ends up impressing the department by cracking an ATM theft case on the spot, the two are forced into an unlikely partnership — investigating a run of cyber-enabled crimes including thefts, kidnappings, and online scams, all while clashing over generational and professional differences. The series marks Rajkumar Hirani’s first project as a streaming creator, writer, and producer, and the acting debut of his son, Vir Hirani.

Performances

Arshad Warsi is the clear anchor of the show, with reviewers broadly agreeing he’s excellent as the gruff, old-school Pedro — several critics specifically praised his chemistry with Vir Hirani, calling it the series’ most reliable pleasure even when the writing around them falters. Reception to Vir Hirani’s debut, however, is genuinely split down the middle. Some reviews called his performance a strong first outing that leaves a lasting impression, while others found him visibly over-workshopped and outmatched sharing scenes with a performer as seasoned as Warsi. Vikrant Massey and Mona Singh round out the supporting cast, though several reviewers noted Singh’s role — playing a grieving mother — is underwritten and underused, given her limited screen time.

Critical Reception

Pritam and Pedro has landed one of the more genuinely divided critical receptions of any recent Indian streaming release, with ratings ranging from full praise to open dismissal across major outlets. On the positive end, Filmfare called it a confident, thoroughly enjoyable OTT debut backed by superb writing, and India Today described it as a refreshing break from the dark, high-stakes thrillers currently dominating Indian streaming. Several reviewers appreciated the show’s lighter tone and its attempt to fold genuine warmth and comedy into a cybercrime-thriller format.

On the other end, critics were considerably harsher. The Quint argued the show has “no granularity,” criticizing its shallow, outdated portrayal of hacking and cybercrime — reducing every problem to “a guy typing fast” — and noted the central premise, built around an online bullying trend from over a decade ago, feels dated for a 2026 audience given how much more sophisticated real online harm has become. The Indian Express and Mint were similarly unconvinced, with Mint’s review going as far as to say Hirani was “talking down to his audience,” and The Tribune found the show’s mystery plotting preposterous and its character backstories careless and underdeveloped. A recurring thread across the more critical reviews is that director Avinash Arun — known for the atmospheric, specific work of Paatal Lok and Three of Us — brings little of his usual visual signature to a show that ends up looking like a generic streaming product.

Our Verdict

Pritam and Pedro is best understood as two different shows depending on what you’re looking for. As a breezy, Warsi-carried buddy comedy with real chemistry between its leads, it delivers — several critics called it an easy, entertaining binge despite its flaws. As a serious cybercrime thriller with anything meaningful to say about how online crime actually works today, it falls noticeably short, and Vir Hirani’s debut, while not a disaster, doesn’t yet carry scenes on his own. Go in expecting comfort-food television carried by Warsi rather than a sharp, modern thriller, and you’re less likely to be disappointed.

Rating: 3/5 — Warsi’s charm and easy chemistry with Vir Hirani carry a show that’s otherwise thin on real cybercrime stakes.

Where to Watch Pritam and Pedro

Pritam and Pedro is a JioHotstar exclusive, with all 6 episodes of the season available to stream now since its July 3, 2026 premiere. It is not available on any other platform. Watch here: jiohotstar.com

Quick Facts

• Rajkumar Hirani’s first project as a streaming creator/producer, after a career built entirely in theatrical filmmaking (3 Idiots, PK, Sanju, Dunki)
• Marks the acting debut of Vir Hirani, Rajkumar Hirani’s son, in the title role
• Directed by Avinash Arun, known for Paatal Lok and Three of Us
• All 6 episodes released together — no weekly rollout