Priyanshu Painyuli to play cab driver turned hacker in upcoming film Pirates

For Priyanshu Painyuli, the first half of 2025 was all about his directorial venture, Jaagar. With the film wrapped up, the actor is now ready to step in front of the camera again. Come August 10, he will kick off the shoot of Pirates, also starring Chandan Roy Sanyal and Gagan Arora, in Delhi. Through Painyuli’s character of a Delhi cab driver who becomes a hacker, director Nishant Sharma’s thriller explores themes of surveillance, morality, and identity theft.

The actor, who made a mark first with his supporting role in Bhavesh Joshi Superhero (2018) and then with Mirzapur, says that the dark and edgy world of Pirates attracted him. “The story feels intense, and I’m drawn to the film’s indie energy. It reminds me of the impact made by Stolen and Girls Will Be Girls [2024], stories that leave a mark despite not being made on a grand commercial scale,” he says.

The film also stars Gagan Arora and Chandan Roy Sanyal

What made him say yes to a director’s maiden feature? Sharma’s fresh voice, says Painyuli. “I have felt honoured to collaborate with filmmakers like Vishal Bhardwaj, Vikramaditya Motwane, Navdeep Singh, and Raja Menon, who are masters of their craft. But I also find it enriching to work with new talent like Nishant, who brings a fresh vision. There is a different creative spark in working with someone who is telling their story for the first time.”

Nishant Sharma previously directed the Amazon MiniTV series, ‘Couple Goals’. He also served as the chief assistant director on the TVF show, ‘Mr & Mrs’.