Just as anticipation around Hera Pheri 3 struggled to regain momentum, the much-awaited sequel has run into fresh trouble. The film is now embroiled in a copyright dispute, with a South Indian production house challenging the very ownership of the franchise, casting doubt over the project’s future.
According to a report by Bar and Bench, Seven Arts International has moved the Madras High Court, questioning whether producer Firoz Nadiadwala legally holds the rights to the Hera Pheri franchise. The production house has argued that Nadiadwala was only authorised to remake one film, the Hindi adaptation of the Malayalam classic Ramji Rao Speaking (1989).
That adaptation became Hera Pheri in 2000, directed by Priyadarshan. However, the petitioner alleges that the producer went beyond the agreed terms by making Phir Hera Pheri in 2006 and later transferring the franchise rights to a third party.
The third party, as claimed in court, is Akshay Kumar’s production banner, Cape of Good Films. Following these allegations, the Madras High Court reportedly questioned whether it would be legally permissible to proceed with Hera Pheri 3 while the ownership issue remains unresolved.
Speaking to Hindustan Times, GP Vijayakumar, Managing Director of Seven Arts International, explained his position in detail.
“I bought the entire rights for the Hera Pheri franchise from the original producers of Ramji Rao Speaking, Adithya Films in 2022. They informed me that Firoz Nadiadwala had been given the right to make one Hindi version of the film. But he made a second version which released in 2006. He is not authorised to make a sequel or prequel, or use the characters,” he said.
He further stated that legal action was not pursued earlier due to a lack of awareness at the time.
Vijayakumar added, “While the first film was directed by Priyadarshan who we are close to, the second film was directed by Neeraj Vora, and the copyright holders at the time didn’t realise what happened. The original producers and I realised much later that Nadiadwala has done a violation and cheating. At the time we thought jo ho gaya, ho gaya. We will produce the next version in Hindi. We approached actor Akshay Kumar for the same and that’s when we got to know that Nadiadwala has sold the rights to Akshay’s production house Cape of Good Films. We sent Nadiadwala a legal notice on how he could sell something he did not own. I had no option but to move the Court.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for Cape of Good Films clarified that the company had acquired the rights believing that Firoz Nadiadwala held full ownership of the Hera Pheri franchise, suggesting there was no prior indication of a dispute at the time of purchase.
