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Rajkumar Hirani's Series- Vikrant Massey to Play Villain in Pritam Pedro

It is unclear whether the failure of the film The Sabarmati Report at the box office or a father’s love for his son is behind Rajkumar Hirani's decision to make a major change

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Rajkumar Hirani's Series- Vikrant Massey to Play Villain in Pritam Pedro
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By Shanti Swaroop Tripathi

It is unclear whether the failure of the film The Sabarmati Report at the box office or a father’s love for his son is behind Rajkumar Hirani's decision to make a major change in his upcoming web series Pritam Pedro, being produced for Netflix. Until recently, the series was to feature Vikrant Massey and Arshad Warsi as the two heroes. But now, with the shooting already underway, Rajkumar Hirani’s son, Veer Hirani, and Arshad Warsi are the heroes, while Vikrant Massey has been cast as the villain. This change has not been made at Vikrant Massey’s request, but rather by Rajkumar Hirani himself.

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Rajkumar Hirani, known for films like 3 Idiots, Munna Bhai MBBS, PK, Sanju, and Dunki, is creating this cyber-crime drama with a comedic touch for Netflix. Initially, Rajkumar Hirani was impressed by Vikrant Massey’s performance in 12th Fail and signed him for the role of Pritam, a sharp-witted, unconventional police officer. Arshad Warsi, meanwhile, was cast as Pedro, an experienced police officer who trusts traditional investigation methods. This marked the return of Arshad Warsi to Rajkumar Hirani’s team after 19 years.

However, a unique twist has unfolded. According to sources, Rajkumar Hirani, in his fatherly affection, has replaced Vikrant Massey with his son, Veer Hirani, for the role of Pritam, and offered Massey the villain's role instead. Veer Hirani, who had received acting training from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA) in London, returned to Mumbai in 2023 and has since been struggling to find significant roles in Bollywood. Before this, Veer appeared in some short films in 2019, like Doosri Kaksha, but they didn't make much of an impact.

Despite not getting major roles, Veer Hirani has been trying his luck in theater. He acted in the play Letters of Suresh, directed by renowned theater artist Firoz Abbas Khan, where he impressed audiences with a 35-minute monologue. However, when it came to a career in films, Veer’s path remained challenging. Naturally, Rajkumar Hirani’s fatherly instincts kicked in, and he offered Veer the lead role in Pritam Pedro, while asking Vikrant Massey to play the antagonist.

Given the opportunity to work with a prominent director like Rajkumar Hirani on a major platform like Netflix, Vikrant Massey had no choice but to accept the role of the villain. He couldn’t afford to refuse this golden opportunity, especially since it was Rajkumar Hirani and his close friend Vidhu Vinod Chopra who had helped him rise to fame with 12th Fail.

12th Fail actor Vikrany Massey signs his Next with Rajkumar Hirani

As of now, there has been no official statement from Netflix or Rajkumar Hirani regarding this change in casting. Likewise, Vikrant Massey has remained silent on the matter. The shooting for Pritam Pedro has commenced and is expected to wrap up by March 2025, though the release date has not yet been confirmed.

This shift in casting has sparked a debate in Bollywood. Some view it as a case of "nepotism," while others associate it with the failure of The Sabarmati Report at the box office. Additionally, Vikrant Massey’s previous success as a villain in the series Sector 36 might have influenced Rajkumar Hirani’s decision, thinking that Massey could bring strong performance to a negative role as well.

The Sabarmati Report (2024) - Movie | Reviews, Cast & Release Date in  mumbai- BookMyShow

It remains to be seen how this development unfolds, both in terms of the series' reception and the future of Veer Hirani’s career in Bollywood.

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