Speaking in a detailed interview, the director—who helmed the iconic 2000 original Hera Pheri and was briefly attached to direct the threequel before walking away earlier this year—cited an endless web of legal wrangles, creative compromises, and personal friction with producer Firoz Nadiadwala.
The filmmaker also confirmed that he formally turned down Akshay Kumar’s offer to direct Bhagam Bhag 2, delivering a candid critique of Bollywood's sequel obsession.
"Chapters and Chapters of Complications": Why Priyadarshan Exited
When pressed on why the long-gestating threequel featuring Raju (Akshay Kumar), Shyam (Suniel Shetty), and Baburao Ganpatrao Apte (Paresh Rawal) remains trapped in limbo, Priyadarshan did not hold back:
“That has a lot of other complications, too many complications. I’d need chapters and chapters to talk about it.
Asked whether I believe the third instalment will ever be made, I don’t think it will ever get made.”
The filmmaker had stepped away in July 2026 after initial plans were drafted. At the time, he noted that legal disputes over intellectual property between Akshay Kumar's Cape of Good Hope Films, Firoz Nadiadwala, and international financiers made moving forward impossible.
Friction with Firoz Nadiadwala: "Insulted Me on Several Occasions"
Detailing the history behind the fallout, Priyadarshan revealed that his relationship with producer Firoz Nadiadwala had soured drastically despite the lead trio's enthusiasm:
The Lead Trio's Pitch: Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal had personally requested Priyadarshan to return and helm Hera Pheri 3, reportedly excited by the story treatment he narrated.
The Producer's Stance: Priyadarshan recounted that Nadiadwala harbored lingering resentment over the editing and style of the 2000 cult classic:
“Firoz told Akshay, ‘You have the rights to make Hera Pheri 3, but never make it with Priyadarshan. That’s my only request.’ He has insulted me so many times. He told me that my cut of Hera Pheri (2000) looked like a poor man’s version and that he had to edit my five-hour movie.”
The Unfinished Vision: Priyadarshan lamented that had the project been mounted cleanly, it could have set a historic box-office benchmark:
“I initially agreed to do the third part with Akshay because I thought I could make one of this country’s biggest franchises. If I had directed it, I could’ve made it bigger than Dhurandhar.”
Why He Turned Down 'Bhagam Bhag 2'
Addressing reports that he had been approached by Akshay Kumar to helm the sequel to their 2006 hit Bhagam Bhag, Priyadarshan explained his blanket resistance to the industry's sequel machinery:
The Sequel Trap:
“That is why I never do sequels. The reason you do Part 2 should be that it is better than Part 1, like the Terminator franchise. Unless you have a much better story, you shouldn't do it. People make sequels just because the first one worked.
What happens with sequels is that they are selling the value of the first film. They are not making a film; they are making a project, and I am not interested in projects.”
Preserving Goodwill: Priyadarshan noted that Kumar had explicitly asked, “Are you interested in directing?”, to which he replied with an unequivocal no. “When people appreciate a film, why do you want to spoil that appreciation? Let other people make sequels of my films, I am fine with that.”
Trade Take:
Priyadarshan’s blunt assessment confirms what trade insiders have long suspected: Hera Pheri 3 has ceased to be a simple creative endeavor and has become an intellectual property quagmire. With the original director ruling out a return, unresolved legal battles over ownership rights, and deep-seated producer-actor friction, the prospect of seeing the iconic trio back on screen together under one cohesive banner remains more distant than ever.
