Priyadarshan hits back at Hera Pheri allegations; says has no influence in Bollywood
The director feels he would not have survived in the film industry for so long if he had such a problematic behaviour
Filmmaker Priyadarshan has come out to strongly denying the allegations that he abandoned his film Hera Pheri midway, and tried to wreak havoc on the plans to make a sequel. He says he has no influence in Bollywood to even think about concocting such a conspiracy.
Recently, producer Firoz Nadiadwala made several claims against the director, from leaving the 2000 film midway to making a depressing version to trying to convince the actors to say no to the sequel.
“I’ve nothing against anyone. The so-called incident happened 20 years back. Why are you talking about it now? And why should I say that I didn’t do this, or do that,” Priyadarshan tells us, adding, “I did that movie and went on to do many more films. I’m sitting on the 95th film of my career. If I had such behaviour, I wouldn’t have been in the industry.”
Talking about whether he convinced actors to not do the sequel, the 64-year-old asks if that would have been the case, then how have the makers made part two with the same actors.
“And I’ve also worked with these actors after that movie. How can that be possible? I’m a small south Indian filmmaker, I don’t have any influence in Bollywood,” he reasons.
Mention the claim of making a depressing version, the filmmaker reminds that the film, starring Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal, was a remake of Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking (1989).
“It’s made frame by frame. So how can someone say that I made a depressing version, or that it was too long. The original was a super duper hit, and that’s why a Hindi remake was made. Aur itne saal baad kyun achanak se bol rahe hain. I’ve never said anything about anyone. Recently, I just said that I don’t want to do part three,” says the director.
Today, Hera Pheri is counted among the greatest comedies made in Bollywood, and also got a sequel, Phir Hera Pheri in 2006, but with no involvement of Priyadarshan.
The director asserts that he didn’t do the follow up of the hit film as he knew that he “won’t be able to do justice. Someone else can do it, I don’t want to do.
The filmmaker further asserts that he likes to ignore such claims instead of making it a public fight.
“I don’t like to make a big issue about such things. If I’ll react, he’ll react, and this will go on. So, it’s better to ignore it,” says the director, who refrained from commenting whether his recent film, Hungama 2, was affected by the arrest of actor Shilpa Shetty Kundra’s husband Raj Kundra for an alleged connection in creating and distribution of pornography.