Director Priyadarshan Confirms No Plans to Direct ‘Hera Pheri 3’
Priyadrshan has officially confirmed he will not direct the anticipated third installment of the popular Bollywood comedy series. This decision reignites controversy surrounding the long-delayed sequel.
The director accused producer Firoz Nadiadwala of repeated insults, including asking lead actor Akshay Kumar to exclude himself from the project. Priyadrshan also claimed that Nadiadwala had disparaged his original 2000 film ‘Hera Pheri’ and claimed he personally re-edited the five-hour cut.
Despite these issues, Priyadrshan said he rejoined the project only at the insistence of Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal. He described their enthusiasm when he first pitched the story to them.
Priyadarshan believed the sequel could have surpassed the box-office success of ‘Dhurandhar’ and ranked among India’s biggest franchises if completed. However, Seven Arts Films has flagged unresolved legal disputes over the film’s rights as major obstacles to production.
In his view, ‘Hera Pheri’ was born in 2000, ‘Phir Hera Pheri’ fell ill in 2006, and ‘Hera Pheri 3’ is perhaps already dead. No formal announcement on the film’s status has been made yet.
The first two films in the franchise remain among Bollywood’s most successful comedies. The characters of Raju, Shyam, and Babu Bhaiya, played by Kumar, Shetty, and Rawal respectively, continue to feature widely in memes and viral clips.
Further delays are likely unless the rights dispute is resolved, with fans still awaiting an official statement from producers.