One sentence just sent every Hera Pheri fan into a spiral.
"No, Priyadarshan is not part of it."
That's producer Firoz A. Nadiadwallah, confirming what fans were dreading — the original director of the cult comedy is officially OUT of Hera Pheri 3. 😬
Yes. That Priyadarshan.
The man behind the bald wig, the kidnapping-gone-wrong, and roughly 80% of the dialogues your WhatsApp group still quotes in 2026.
Gone.
And this isn't happening in a vacuum. The project has been a soap opera of its own for over a year:
For a film that's supposed to make us laugh… it's been very, very stressful.
In his Variety India chat, he kept the tone warm and unbothered.
On Akshay Kumar:
"Our relationship is more like a brotherhood. It is above finance and pressure."
A bond going back to 1996–97. Which, fun fact, is right around when the first Hera Pheri was being cooked up.
On Paresh Rawal — the same Paresh Rawal at the centre of the courtroom drama:
"There is no word in the dictionary to describe Paresh bhai. He is unreal."
Translation: please, everyone, let's stay friends. 🕊️
On the film itself? A breezy, trust-me-bro line:
👉 "Things are on track and moving in the right direction."
Can Hera Pheri 3 still BE Hera Pheri… without Priyadarshan?
The first film, lifted from the Malayalam classic Ramji Rao Speaking, became one of the most quoted comedies in Indian cinema history. The sequel, Phir Hera Pheri, was helmed by the late Neeraj Vora — and even that one had a different flavour.
Now the third chapter is being built without its architect, with its lead actor having walked in and out, and with lawyers on speed dial.
⚡ Nostalgia is the most expensive currency in Bollywood right now.
And Hera Pheri 3 is spending it fast.
Raju, Shyam, Baburao… utha le re baba. 🙏
That's all for now!
