Priyadarshan exits Hera Pheri 3, says it may never hit the screen

Priyadarshan has confirmed he is not associated with Hera Pheri 3 at present. His exit adds to the film's unresolved legal disputes and uncertainty over its release.

In Short

• Feroze Nadiadwala says the film is still moving in the right direction
• Seven Arts International claims the franchise rights belong to it, not Feroze
• Akshay Kumar's production house says rights were bought believing Nadiadwala owned them

Filmmaker Priyadarshan has confirmed that he is no longer associated with Hera Pheri 3, adding that he believes the long-delayed film may never make it to the big screen due to ongoing legal disputes and personal conflicts.

Speaking to HT City, Priyadarshan said he is currently not involved with the project. “What Feroze has said is true. I am not associated with Hera Pheri 3 at the present,” he said.

The filmmaker also cast doubt on the film's future. “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.

Feroze had earlier told Variety India that Priyadarshan was not part of the third instalment. The development comes amid continuing uncertainty around the film, which has faced a series of legal and personal issues. One of the main disputes involves Seven Arts International, a production house in the South, which has claimed that the rights to the Hera Pheri franchise and its characters belong to it and not to Feroze. He has disputed that claim.

A spokesperson for Akshay Kumar’s production house had also told HT City earlier that the rights were bought from Nadiadwala on the understanding that he owned them. Hera Pheri 3 was expected to reunite the original trio of Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal, with Priyadarshan set to direct. The project also faced another setback when Paresh Rawal exited in May 2025, before later returning to it.

Earlier this year, in an exclusive conversation with India Today, Priyadarshan confirmed that the much-anticipated sequel remains stalled, with ongoing legal issues preventing the project from moving forward. “It is still...there are some legal issues. We are trying to sort it out. Once that is sorted, then we’ll go ahead with that film,” he said.

Hera Pheri, released in 2000, went on to become a cult hit, while its sequel Phir Hera Pheri, directed by Neeraj Vohra, was also successful. Akshay, Suniel and Paresh were recently seen together in Welcome To The Jungle, which is also produced by Feroze Nadiadwala, but Hera Pheri 3 continues to remain tied up in uncertainty.

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