Filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, known for iconic films like '3 Idiots', found himself on the receiving end of his own philosophy when his son Vir Hirani used a dialogue from the movie to justify his decision to become an actor. The director, who had initially nudged his son towards filmmaking, was taken aback when Vir chose acting instead.
The '3 Idiots' Dialogue That Changed Everything
Speaking to PTI in an interview, Hirani recalled the moment his son informed him of his career choice. Vir, who had shown promise in filmmaking by making short films during school, surprised his father by declaring he didn't want to make films but wanted to act instead. Hirani admitted he tried to dissuade his son, but Vir countered with a line from '3 Idiots': 'You made the film in which you said you should do what you like.'
Hirani, an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), said he was left with little to argue. 'After that I couldn't tell him anything. I just told him not to just get up and say that I want to do it, do theatre, go and learn somewhere. So, then he spent five to six years doing all that,' Hirani said.
Vir Hirani's Journey to Acting
Vir Hirani had worked with his father on the film 'Sanju' for six months, which Hirani believes influenced his decision. 'I think something happened to him, watching Ranbir (Kapoor) perform and all,' Hirani added. Vir honed his craft through theatre and short films such as 'Yoon Hota Toh', 'The Doctor Will See You Now', and 'Apna Apna Andaz' before landing his debut in the upcoming series 'Pritam and Pedro'.
Launching in 'Pritam and Pedro'
Hirani has now launched Vir in 'Pritam and Pedro', a cyber-crime series set to premiere on JioHotstar on July 3. The show, directed by Avinash Arun of 'Pataal Lok' fame, features Arshad Warsi and Boman Irani alongside Vir. Warsi and Irani were integral to Hirani's 'Munna Bhai' franchise. The series also stars Vikrant Massey and Mona Singh, with cameo appearances by Sanjay Dutt and former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag.
The plot revolves around a seasoned cop (Warsi) who prefers old-school methods and a tech-savvy youngster (Vir Hirani) who relies on modern technology for investigations. Hirani serves as creator, co-writer, and producer, marking his first OTT project.
Challenges of Long-Format Storytelling
Hirani, known for movies such as 'Munna Bhai MBBS', 'Lage Raho Munna Bhai', 'PK', 'Sanju', and 'Dunki', described exploring long-format storytelling as challenging. He noted that streaming platforms demand a certain pace and style to maintain the audience's fleeting attention span. 'You have to write it differently. You have the liberty to open up multiple tracks as you will see later (in the show), which you can't do in a film. Also, you have to keep creating hooks so that people don't leave the show, every 10 minutes something important has to happen, or at least something very important has to happen at the end of the episode,' Hirani explained.
Inspiration Behind the Series
Hirani said he is not a frequent consumer of the crime genre but was drawn to the stories penned by Amit Dubey in his books 'Hidden Files' and 'Return of the Trojan Horse'. He added that after writing the series, he checked to ensure the concept hadn't been made before. 'As you progress in the series, you will see that there's a subtext,' he said.
When asked if he gave any advice to his son as a senior director, Hirani joked, 'I can give a piece of advice to every actor, but not to my son. Kids don't listen to their father, that's the truth.'
