Priyadarshan, Who Exited Hera Pheri 3, Says 'Could Have Made It Bigger Than Dhurandhar'

Priyadarshan, who has exited Hera Pheri 3 due to legal disputes, said that producer Firoz Nadiadwala opposed him from the very beginning. During a recent chat, Priyadarshan also claimed he could have made the film bigger than Dhurandhar.

"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," Priyadarshan told Mid-Day.

Priyadarshan's confirmation came after Firoz Nadiadwala publicly said that he's no longer part of the project. 

"What Feroze has said is true. I am not associated with Hera Pheri 3 at present," Priyadarshan told Hindustan Times.

"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, in an interview with Variety India, had earlier said that Priyadarshan was not part of the third installment.

Hera Pheri 3 legal issues

The film, which was set to go on floors earlier this year, has faced significant delays due to ongoing legal complications surrounding its film and music rights. A couple of months ago, Priyadarshan confirmed that the much-talked-about film would "definitely not" go on floors this year.

In a conversation with ETimes, Priyadarshan admitted that the situation was complicated. He said, "Certain people said they have the rights to the film, while others claimed rights to the music."

Priyadarshan revealed that Bhushan Kumar has publicly claimed ownership of Hera Pheri 3's music rights, and that resolving these issues is crucial before proceeding with the film. When asked whether the movie would go into production this year, the filmmaker said, "Definitely not this year."

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

Last year, Paresh Rawal exited the film, prompting an uproar. Akshay Kumar filed a case against him seeking Rs 25 crore in damages. The issue was eventually resolved, and Akshay dropped the case.

The Hera Pheri franchise began in 2000 and featured Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal in the lead roles. It was followed by a sequel, Phir Hera Pheri, in 2006.