Hera Pheri 3 has found itself embroiled in a protracted legal battle with producer Vijay Kumar of Seven Arts International Limited. The producer has filed serious accusations against Firoz Nadiadwala. Kumar claims that Nadiadwala is purposefully obstructing judicial proceedings at the Madras High Court, which oversees the franchise’s copyright and intellectual property rights until March 23 2026.
The Core Dispute: Who Owns Hera Pheri?
The conflict traces back to the franchise’s roots. Vijay Kumar claims he owns all intellectual property rights to Hera Pheri because he acquired them from Adithya Films in 2022, which holds the rights to the Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking, which served as the original source for Hera Pheri. Kumar alleges that Nadiadwala could create only one Hindi remake, which he produced in 2000 with Hera Pheri, while all subsequent projects, including Phir Hera Pheri and the upcoming Hera Pheri 3, emerged without his consent.
Kumar claims that Nadiadwala committed an illegal act by selling the rights to Hera Pheri 3 to Akshay Kumar’s Cape of Good Films even though Nadiadwala did not own those rights. The legal battle intensified when the Madras High Court asked whether the production of Hera Pheri 3 actually existed.
Production Stalled, Cast Remains Hopeful
The director Priyadarshan confirmed that Hera Pheri 3 will not proceed with its 2026 release due to legal disputes over music rights. Kumar believes he can keep the original cast of Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Suniel Shetty because their presence will lead to box-office success. Paresh Rawal has dismissed rumours of cast disagreements, explaining that production delays were due to technical problems between the producers.
The legal disputes which are currently progressing through the courts create persistent uncertainty about both Hera Pheri 3 and the future of one of Bollywood’s most beloved comedy franchises.
