Priyadarshan Explains Why He Walked Away From Hera Pheri 3: ‘The Third May Die’
And Priyadarshan has admitted to be answering one of the most asked questions about the upcoming Hera Pheri 3 movie’s most eagerly awaited sequel: why he has decided to quit the film. The director Priyadarshan hasn’t let go of one of the most anticipated sequel’s most anticipated new movie and told me that his decision to make Hera Pheri 3 was not based on any creative differences but rather from the perspective of his own filmmaking philosophy.
Priyadarshan is working on his next directorial venture Haiwaan, starring Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan as the lead actors, which is expected to be released on 11 September 2026. The director spoke out about his career, how he would not do sequels, and the decision to not go back to the world of Hera Pheri.
Priyadarshan explains why he didn't direct Hera Pheri 3
Priyadarshan has produced 98 films in 5 languages in his four-decade-long career. Hera Pheri is one of his most famous films, a comedy starring Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal from 2000. It became a cult film and is still popular today with Bollywood.
While Priyadarshan was initially associated with Hera Pheri 3, he eventually walked away from the project. When asked to explain why he chose to do so, he said he has a simple rule when it comes to sequels, he won't do sequels to his own films.
“I am not making the sequel of my own films. The sequels of my films are made by other people but I am not making it. I never made it,” Priyadarshan said.
The filmmaker went on to give a rather blunt review of the Hera Pheri franchise. It was hard to replicate the magic of the first film, he said, and the story had already reached its natural limit.
“I always think Hera Pheri was born, the second was fallen sick, and the third may die. It is done. The limit has been done in the first part. Now, you are trying to exploit the franchise,” he said.
Boman Irani Agrees With Priyadarshan
In fact, actor Boman Irani also agrees with Priyadarshan's stance on sequels. Boman himself is part of Khosla Ka Ghosla 2, a sequel of the cult comedy Khosla Ka Ghosla, which released in 2006.
Boman said successful movies work because there are certain movies that work when there are very special circumstances and timing in place for them. But he warned that it can be hard to recreate that magic years later.
“When it succeeded, there was magic happening in a space of time. I feel magic can’t be created as far as the cinema is concerned. I agree with Priyam sir,” Boman said.
He has only been involved in one sequel and is hopeful that this one will work while respecting the legacy of the original.
Priyadarshan: Sequels Come With Huge Expectations
Priyadarshan said that his biggest concern with sequels is the enormous expectations on them. As the director explained, audiences are conditioned to compare a sequel with the original, so filmmakers find it almost impossible to satisfy them.
“The magic I don’t think can work again. Everybody has huge expectations. The biggest problem I faced in my 40-year-long career was that the expectations are increasing, and whatever you do, they will not be happy or satisfied,” he said.
For Priyadarshan, the better approach is to leave a good film untouched and allow it to remain a part of cinema history.
"So why do you want to try it? Just leave it as an original. It is a cult film. Let it be like that.”
Haiwaan Marks Priyadarshan's Next Chapter
Hera Pheri 3 continues to keep fans interested, but Priyadarshan is working on his next film, Haiwaan. The film stars Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan and marks another collaboration between Priyadarshan and Akshay.
The movie also features Saiyami Kher, Shriya Pilgaonkar, Rajpal Yadav, Sharib Hashmi, Rajesh Sharma, Manoj Joshi, Jisshu Sengupta, Pahal Chaudhary, and Naira Shah in key roles. Malayalam superstar Mohanlal will also make a cameo appearance.
With Haiwaan hitting the screens on September 11, Priyadarshan is looking ahead and not back to those franchises that defined his career. His comments on Hera Pheri 3 also show that some movies are best remembered for the magic they created the first time around.
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