Priyadarshan accuses Firoz Nadiadwala of insulting him: 'Could've made Hera Pheri 3 bigger than Dhurandhar'

Priyadarshan has confirmed he won't direct Hera Pheri 3, citing repeated insults from producer Firoz Nadiadwala.

Filmmaker Priyadarshan recently confirmed that he will not be directing Hera Pheri 3, a film fans have been eagerly awaiting. The director has now made shocking allegations against producer Firoz Nadiadwala, accusing him of repeatedly insulting him. Priyadarshan also claimed that, had he directed the film, he could have turned Hera Pheri 3 into one of India's biggest film franchises.

Priyadarshan opens up on his exit from Hera Pheri 3.

Priyadarshan says he could have made Hera Pheri 3 bigger than Dhurandhar

In a chat with Mid-Day, Priyadarshan revealed that he was insulted on multiple occasions and said, "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 (2000) 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 requested me to make Hera Pheri 3. When I narrated the story to them, they were all excited."

The filmmaker further said, "When Hera Pheri 3 was announced, I got a call from Seven Arts Films' GP Vijayakumar saying that if we ever made the film, it would be a violation. I didn't know what to do. That's why I said that Hera Pheri 3 may never make it to the big screen with the same characters. You may never see them together again because there are too many legal issues. According to me, Hera Pheri (2000) was born, Phir Hera Pheri (2006) became sick, and Hera Pheri 3 will be dead."

About the Hera Pheri franchise

The Hera Pheri franchise is one of Bollywood's most iconic comedy series, known for its humour, memorable dialogues and the unforgettable trio of Akshay Kumar (Raju), Suniel Shetty (Shyam) and Paresh Rawal (Baburao Ganpatrao Apte). The franchise began with Hera Pheri in 2000, directed by Priyadarshan, and was followed by Phir Hera Pheri (2006), directed by Neeraj Vora. Both films revolve around the trio's hilarious attempts to become rich, only to land themselves in increasingly chaotic situations.

Hera Pheri is considered a cult classic and is widely regarded as one of the finest comedy films in Hindi cinema, while its sequel further cemented the franchise's popularity with its slapstick humour and memorable one-liners. Over the years, the films have amassed a massive fan following through television reruns, memes and internet culture, making Baburao, Raju and Shyam enduring pop-culture icons.

Hera Pheri 3 was expected to reunite the original trio, Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal, with Priyadarshan returning as director. However, the film ran into trouble after Paresh Rawal briefly exited the project in May 2025 before eventually returning. The film also continues to face legal hurdles, leaving its future uncertain and fans still waiting for an official update.