Priyadarshan has confirmed he will not return to direct 'Hera Pheri 3' and doubts the film will ever release, citing extensive legal issues and personal conflicts. His exit follows producer Feroze Nadiadwala’s statement that the veteran filmmaker is not attached. The long-awaited sequel, meant to reunite Akshay Kumar, Suneil Shetty and Paresh Rawal, now appears increasingly unlikely.
Hera Pheri's return to the screen for its third installment has faced yet another setback in its already shaky journey. Filmmaker Priyadarshan has confirmed he will not be associated with Hera Pheri 3, mentioning he is uncertain the film will ever make it to the big screen.
His announcement comes just shortly after producer Feroze Nadiadwala revealed that the director will not be involved in the comedy sequel.
"What Feroze has said is true. I am not associated with Hera Pheri 3 at present," Priyadarshan told Hindustan Times, adding, that to the best of his knowledge, the film will "never hit the screen due to lots of legal issues and personal conflicts."
"Whether I am involved or not is unimportant," he added.
The third installment was supposed to unite the original cast of the first film, including Akshay Kumar as Raju, Suneil Shetty as Shyam and Paresh Rawal as his iconic character Baburao Ganpatrao Apte, with Priyadarshan returning as the director.
In May 2025, the project suffered a major setback when Rawal announced his exit from the film, before eventually coming back on board again.
Back in 2000, Priyadarshan's Hera Pheri quickly became a crowd favourite and cult classic, while Hera Pheri 2, directed by Neeraj Vora, also achieved commercial success. The filmmaker's exit from the sequel comes as a major disappointment for fans eager for the comedy to continue.