Director Priyadarshan is returning to the ‘Hera Pheri’ universe once again, this time directing the highly anticipated third part of the franchise that has won over the hearts of millions. As the director of the original ‘Hera Pheri’, which was released in 2000, Priyadarshan looks back on the daunting legacy the film has created and the huge burden of meeting the sky-high expectations of the audience for ‘Hera Pheri 3’.

In an informal interview with ETV Bharat, Priyadarshan explained the uncertain success of the first ‘Hera Pheri’.

Advertisement

“I was very certain that ‘Hera Pheri’ will succeed, but I never dreamt that it would become a cult film,” he revealed. “It had good humour and great performances, but nobody ever imagined that Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal, who used to do different types of films, could do such comedy. It took everybody by surprise, and the success of ‘Hera Pheri’ was a turning point in their lives.”

The director’s comeback to the franchise is a significant reason for the film’s hype. Fans have been waiting with bated breath to know if the magic of the first one can be recreated or even bettered.

The announcement that Priyadarshan would be coming back to direct ‘Hera Pheri 3’ was a surprise, particularly given the film’s long and stormy journey to the big screen.

Also Read: Who is Hayao Miyazaki? All you need to know about the genius behind Studio Ghibli

Initially scheduled to go on floors in 2020, the movie postponed because of the pandemic. It looked like, for a bit, the movie could embroil in a vortex of rumors and disagreements. At some point, Akshay Kumar, who featured in one of the leads of the first two movies, was thinking of leaving the movie.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Akshay Kumar (@akshaykumar)

This news was sensational, with media reports indicating Kartik Aaryan would fill the role, and this stirred up controversy among fans. Yet, on Priyadarshan’s birthday, Akshay Kumar announced his presence in ‘Hera Pheri 3’, silencing all rumors and hinting that the favorite trio would be back on screen.

Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty, along with Kumar, will reportedly play their legendary roles once again, which fans eagerly anticipated since they were looking forward to seeing the trio on screen once again. The third installment is finally in production after a string of false starts.

It came out in February 2023 that production on ‘Hera Pheri 3’ had gone under way in Mumbai quietly, with director Farhad Samji taking the reins.

Audiences rejoiced to hear that the main cast members would be reprising their roles, which lent continuity and old-school appeal to the movie. To make things even more exciting, Sanjay Dutt is also on board with the movie.

In spite of hiccups along the way, ‘Hera Pheri 3’ is now ready to pick up the crazy, laughter-filled story that has become a part of Bollywood comedy legacy.

The originals, ‘Hera Pheri’ (2000) and ‘Phir Hera Pheri’ (2006), have found themselves in the comedy hall of fame in Bollywood, and of course, the third installment is one of the most anticipated movies in recent times.