Akshay Kumar Cape Of Good Films Hera Pheri 3 Rights Controversy Priyadarshan

Although Hindi cinema fans worldwide were on cloud nine after learning that their beloved Hera Pheri franchise was getting a third instalment, their smiles soon faded as the Akshay Kumar-led project found itself embroiled in a series of controversies. After being mired in a legal battle over its rights and then in the row over actor Paresh Rawal’s abrupt exit from the project, Hera Pheri 3 landed in a tight spot when director Priyadarshan announced he had parted ways with it.

Amid all this, Akshay Kumar’s Cape of Good Films LLP has stepped forward, issuing a statement emphasising that it alone holds all the rights pertaining to Hera Pheri 3. The production company has also cautioned stakeholders against entering into any deals with third-party entities that claim they have stakes in the film. According to Bollywood Hungama, Cape of Good Films issued the statement in a movie magazine on Saturday, July 4.

“Cape of Good Films is the sole and exclusive holder of an irrevocable, worldwide, perpetual, and unencumbered licence to produce, distribute, market, exploit, commercialise, and otherwise deal with the cinematograph film presently titled Hera Pheri 3, together with all rights therein, across all modes, media, platforms, technologies, and formats, whether now known or hereafter devised,” a part of the statement read.

It added, “All persons and entities are cautioned against entering into any arrangement, transaction, negotiation, representation, or dealing with any third-party claiming rights in or relating to the film without the prior written authorisation of Cape of Good Films LLP.”

In a 2025 interview, director Priyadarshan confirmed that Akshay Kumar had acquired all the rights to the Hera Pheri franchise. For the unversed, both Priyadarshan’s Hera Pheri (2000) and Neeraj Vora’s Phir Hera Pheri (2006) were bankrolled by Firoz A Nadiadwala.

“Akshay bought the entire rights of the Hera Pheri franchise for Rs 10 crore from Firoz Nadiadwala, who had produced the first two parts. This is not just for Hera Pheri 3 but the entire franchise. I know this, as I have seen the paperwork for it,” Priyadarshan told Mid-Day. The director further noted that he agreed to join the project only after the actor showed him the agreement.

Meanwhile, earlier this year, the Hera Pheri franchise had found itself caught in the middle of a legal battle after a South Indian producer approached the Madras High Court, alleging that Firoz Nadiadwala himself did not own the rights to the Hera Pheri franchise to begin with.

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Maintaining that Firoz had acquired the rights only to remake Ramji Rao Speaking (1989), which became Hera Pheri (2000), production company Seven Arts International reportedly informed the court that the producer then went beyond the terms of the agreement by making a sequel, Phir Hera Pheri (2006), and later transferred the franchise rights to a third party, Cape of Good Films. However, the Akshay Kumar-owned production company’s latest statement directly defies this argument.

Meanwhile, Priyadarshan had recently launched a scathing attack on Firoz Nadiadwala, claiming the producer had insulted him on several occasions. “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 director told Mid-Day.

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He further noted that his aim was to make Hera Pheri as big as director Aditya Dhar’s Ranveer Singh-led Dhurandhar franchise. “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. Akshay, Suniel and Paresh requested me to make Hera Pheri 3. When I narrated the story to them, they were all excited,” he added.