Film producer Firoz Nadiadwala has taken the legal route, filing a complaint at Amboli Police Station in Mumbai. The case was officially registered on April 27. The complaint names producers Gopala Pillai Vijaykumar and M Paul Michael.
The issue is linked to the copyright of the 1989 Malayalam film ‘Ramji Rao Speaking’, which later became the base for the Hindi comedy ‘Hera Pheri’ (2000).
According to the FIR, the complaint includes allegations of cheating and defamation. Nadiadwala, who runs Empire Studio in Andheri West, has stated that he made a significant financial investment in ‘Hera Pheri’ and followed a legal process to acquire rights.
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How the remake rights changed hands
The story goes back several decades. The original Malayalam film ‘Ramji Rao Speaking’ was produced in 1989 under the banner M/s Sarga Chitra. At that time, M Paul Michael and Siddique KL (also known as Lal) were partners in the production.
In 1993, the remake rights of the film were sold to M/s Compact Disc India Limited. Years later, on March 24, 2000, Nadiadwala acquired those rights for ₹4.50 lakh.
The agreement gave him copyright ownership for Hindi and other languages, but excluded southern language rights.
Before that purchase, director Priyadarshan had brought the story to him in 1997. The film was then developed and shot between 1998 and 2000. Using the acquired rights, ‘Hera Pheri’ was released in 2000, followed by its sequel ‘Phir Hera Pheri’ in 2006.
Both films performed strongly at the box office and built a lasting audience over time.
Nadiadwala has stated in his complaint that for 25 years after the release, no objections were raised regarding these rights.
Earlier tensions and alleged threats
The current dispute is not being described as new. Nadiadwala has claimed that problems began around the time of the first film’s release.
According to his statement, in 2000, Michael and Siddique allegedly tried to stop the release of ‘Hera Pheri’. He has said they used intermediaries to send threats and demanded money.
Because of this, he approached the Mumbai Police Commissioner and filed a complaint on March 21, 2000.
After that period, the matter appeared to settle down for many years, with no visible legal challenge affecting the films or their circulation.
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Dispute resurfaces with fresh demands
The issue returned recently with new legal steps and claims.
In December 2024, Nadiadwala received a copyright notice related to the same property. Then, in October 2025, Gopala Pillai Vijaykumar filed a petition in the Madras High Court.
The petition reportedly claimed fresh ownership of the rights through another company.
Nadiadwala has called this claim fabricated. In his complaint, he has alleged that the accused demanded ₹60 lakh along with a 25% share in profits.
He has also stated that false information was being spread, including the use of actors’ names, which he says has harmed his reputation.
These allegations form the basis of the cheating and defamation charges mentioned in the FIR.