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Ever since Hera Pheri 3 was announced, the much-anticipated comedy sequel has been embroiled in one controversy after another. From Paresh Rawal’s abrupt exit and subsequent return to a legal battle over the franchise’s rights and Priyadarshan stepping away as director, the film’s future remains uncertain. The filmmaker has now said that he does not believe the third instalment will ever materialise.
In a conversation with Hindustan Times, Priyadarshan, who directed the original Hera Pheri (2000), also spoke about why he declined Akshay Kumar’s offer to direct Bhagam Bhag 2, explaining his reluctance to revisit successful films without a compelling story.
Asked about his decision to step away from Hera Pheri 3, he pointed to the numerous complications surrounding the project.
“That has a lot of other complications, too many complications. I’d need chapters and chapters to talk about it,” he said.
Asked whether he believes the third instalment will ever be made, the filmmaker replied, “I don’t think it will ever get made”.
Why Priyadarshan refused to direct Bhagam Bhag 2
Speaking about Bhagam Bhag 2, Priyadarshan revealed that he turned down Akshay Kumar’s offer to direct the sequel because he did not want to revisit the 2006 comedy without a better story.
He said, “That is why I never do sequels because the reason that you are doing part 2, it should be better than the part one, like with the Terminator franchise where part 2 was a better film than part 1. Unless you have a much better story, you shouldn’t do it. People always make a sequel when the first one really works, so if you don’t better it, there is no value for the franchise.”
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He further explained that many sequels rely on the popularity of their predecessors rather than offering something genuinely new.
“What happens with sequels is that they are selling the value of the first film. They are not making a film, they are making a project, and I am not interested in projects. Even with Bhagam Bhaag, Akshay asked me ‘are you interested in directing?’ I said no. The question is that when you make a film and people appreciate it, why do you want to go and spoil that appreciation by doing a part 2. That’s why I refuse directing sequels. Let other people make sequels of my films, I am fine with that.”
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Priyadarshan’s exit from Hera Pheri 3
In July, Priyadarshan confirmed that he was no longer associated with Hera Pheri 3, despite having expressed hope earlier in the year that the film would materialise in the near future.
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“I am not associated with Hera Pheri 3 at the present. To the best of my knowledge, Hera Pheri 3 will never hit the screens due to lots of legal issues and personal conflicts. Whether I am involved or not is unimportant,” he told Hindustan Times.
In another conversation, the filmmaker also spoke about his strained relationship with the film’s producer Firoz Nadiadwala. In an interview with Mid-Day, Priyadarshan claimed that the producer had insulted him on several occasions, including criticising his cut of the original film.
“Firoz told Akshay, ‘You have the rights to make Hera Pheri 3, but never make it with Priyadarshan. That’s my only request.’ He has insulted me so many times. He told me that my cut of Hera Pheri (2000) looked like a poor man’s version and that he had to edit my five-hour movie,” the director said.
Priyadarshan said he had initially agreed to return for the third instalment because he believed it could become one of India’s biggest film franchises. He also revealed that Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal had requested him to direct the film.
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“I initially agreed to do the third part with Akshay because I thought I could make one of this country’s biggest franchises. If I had directed it, I could’ve made it bigger than Dhurandhar. Akshay, Suniel and Paresh requested me to make Hera Pheri 3. When I narrated the story to them, they were all excited,” he added.
Paresh Rawal’s exit and the legal battle over Hera Pheri 3
Apart from Priyadarshan’s exit, Hera Pheri 3 has also been caught up in controversies surrounding Paresh Rawal’s departure from the project and a legal dispute over the franchise’s ownership.
Lat year, Paresh Rawal abruptly exited the project, prompting Akshay Kumar to sue the actor for Rs 25 crore. He later confirmed that the issues between him and the makers had been resolved amicably and confirmed his return.
The franchise also features Suniel Shetty, who played Shyam alongside Akshay’s Raju and Paresh’s Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in the earlier films.
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Hera Pheri 3 also became embroiled in a legal dispute over its ownership after production company Seven Arts International approached the Madras High Court, reportedly arguing that producer Firoz Nadiadwala did not own the rights to the franchise in their entirety.
According to the company’s argument, Nadiadwala had acquired the rights to remake the Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking (1989), which was adapted into Hera Pheri (2000). Seven Arts International maintained that the agreement did not authorise him to make the sequel Phir Hera Pheri (2006) or transfer the franchise rights to another party, Cape of Good Films.
Akshay Kumar’s production company, Cape of Good Films LLP, has disputed these claims, issuing a statement asserting that it alone holds all the rights pertaining to Hera Pheri 3.
