Priyadarshan has formally confirmed that he is no longer involved in the planned third instalment in the Hera Pheri film franchise, dealing a major blow to fans.

 

The director has now disclosed that he has abandoned the project, despite indicating earlier this year that Hera Pheri 3 would move forward in the near future, if not this year.

 

Priyadarshan went a step further and said that the film’s legal troubles make it doubtful that it would ever be made. The director’s departure was first announced by producer Firoz A. Nadiadwala, but Priyadarshan later confirmed it.

Why did Priyadarshan talk about Hera Pheri 3?

Speaking to the Hindustan Times, Priyadarshan said, “What Firoz has said is true. I am not associated with Hera Pheri 3 at 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”.

 
 

In his conversation with Variety India, producer Firoz had stated that the project was moving ahead. “Things are on track and moving in the right direction,” he further added, “Priyadarshan is not part of it.” It is unclear how things will turn out with Priyadarshan and Firoz giving opposing statements about the fate of Hera Pheri 3.

Hera Pheri 3: The unending troubles

In addition to the legal dispute over its rights, Hera Pheri 3 was impacted by actor Paresh Rawal’s sudden departure from the film, which prompted his co-star Akshay Kumar to file a ₹25 crore lawsuit against him.

 

Paresh later acknowledged that his disagreements with the producers had been settled peacefully, nevertheless. In addition to Paresh and Akshay, Suniel Shetty plays a significant part in the franchise.

 

Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal played the lead roles in the Hera Pheri franchise, which debuted in 2000.

Priyadarshan’s earlier statements on Hera Pheri 3

In an earlier interview with Mid-Day, Priyadarshan had revealed that both Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal personally called him after resolving their differences.

 

He stated, “Both Akshay and Paresh called to say that everything is sorted. I was in shock when Paresh said, ‘Sir, I’m doing the movie. I have never had anything except a lot of respect for you. I’ve done 26 movies with you, and I’m sorry to have left the film. There were some personal issues.’”

 

The director had also stressed that the franchise would not work without its iconic trio of Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty.

 

He later added, “Hera Pheri cannot happen without any of the three lead characters. Recently, on a flight, a diamond merchant and his family came to me and requested me to bring Paresh back. They said they won’t watch the film otherwise.”

 

The original Hera Pheri was released in 2000 and became a cult classic, followed by Phir Hera Pheri in 2006. For years, fans have awaited a third instalment featuring the original trio, but the project continues to face uncertainty despite periodic announcements of its revival.