Priyadarshan BREAKS Silence On Hera Pheri 3 Exit: 'Could Have Made It Bigger Than Dhurandhar’

Priyadarshan has confirmed that he is no longer associated with Hera Pheri 3 amid the ongoing legal and personal conflicts surrounding the much-awaited comedy sequel. The filmmaker, who directed the first Hera Pheri, also claimed in a recent interview that producer Firoz Nadiadwala had opposed his involvement in the third part from the very beginning.

Priyadarshan Claims Firoz Nadiadwala Was Against His Involvement

Speaking to Mid-Day, Priyadarshan said that Nadiadwala had allegedly told Akshay Kumar not to make Hera Pheri 3 with him. “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 looked like a poor

man’s version, and that he had to edit my five-hour movie. 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 asked me to make Hera Pheri 3. When I narrated the story to them, they were all excited,” he said.

Priyadarshan Confirms Exit From Hera Pheri 3

Priyadarshan’s confirmation came after Firoz Nadiadwala publicly said that the filmmaker was no longer a part of the project. Reacting to the same, Priyadarshan told Hindustan Times, “What Feroze has said is true. I am not associated with Hera Pheri 3 at present.”

The director also expressed doubt over whether the film would ever be made, given the complicated situation around it. “To the best of my knowledge, Hera Pheri 3 will never hit the screen due to lots of legal issues and personal conflicts. Whether I am involved or not is unimportant,” he added.

Firoz Nadiadwala had earlier told Variety India that Priyadarshan was not attached to the third instalment. The development comes as another setback for Hera Pheri 3, which has been facing repeated delays despite the massive curiosity around the return of Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal.

Hera Pheri 3 Legal Issues

The film was expected to go on floors earlier this year, but legal complications over its film and music rights stalled the plan. A couple of months ago, Priyadarshan had also confirmed that Hera Pheri 3 would “definitely not” begin production this year.

In an earlier conversation with ETimes, the filmmaker had said that the matter was complicated as different parties were claiming different rights. “Certain people said they have the rights to the film, while others claimed rights to the music,” he said.

Priyadarshan had also stated that Bhushan Kumar had publicly claimed ownership of the music rights of Hera Pheri 3, and that the issue would need to be resolved before the film could move ahead. When asked if the film would start shooting this year, he had replied, “Definitely not this year.”

According to Bar & Bench, production house Seven Arts International has claimed that Firoz Nadiadwala’s rights were limited to making the Hindi adaptation of the Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking, which eventually became the 2000 film Hera Pheri. The production house has alleged that Nadiadwala breached the contract by making Phir Hera Pheri and later transferring franchise rights to Akshay Kumar’s Cape of Good Films.

Paresh Rawal’s Earlier Exit From Hera Pheri 3

Last year, Hera Pheri 3 also made headlines after Paresh Rawal briefly exited the film, leading to an uproar among fans. Akshay Kumar had filed a case against him seeking Rs 25 crore in damages. However, the matter was later resolved, and Akshay withdrew the case.

The Hera Pheri franchise began in 2000 with Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal in lead roles. The film went on to become one of Hindi cinema’s most beloved comedies and was followed by the sequel Phir Hera Pheri in 2006. Fans have been waiting for the third part for years, but the film continues to remain stuck amid uncertainty.