Hera Pheri 3 has come under legal scrutiny after a fresh copyright dispute reached the Madras High Court, raising questions over who actually owns the rights to the popular comedy franchise. The case has also brought Akshay Kumar’s production house into focus, as the third part was reportedly sold to his banner. With a South-based production house challenging producer Firoz Nadiadwala’s rights, the court has now sought clarity on whether the film can legally move forward.
According to a report by Bar and Bench, the legal issue surfaced after Seven Arts International Limited filed a petition in the Madras High Court. The company stated that it owns the rights to the Hera Pheri franchise and that Nadiadwala was allowed to make only one Hindi remake of the original Malayalam film.
Claim Over Original Film Rights
The Hera Pheri franchise is based on the Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking (1989), produced by Adithya Films. The Hindi remake, directed by Priyadarshan, was released in 2000 and became a major success. However, Seven Arts International claims that this was the only version Nadiadwala was permitted to make.
In its petition, the production house stated that Nadiadwala went beyond his rights by producing Phir Hera Pheri in 2006. The issue has now resurfaced because the producer has reportedly sold the rights of Hera Pheri 3 to Akshay Kumar’s production company, Cape of Good Films.
Only One Hindi Version Was Allowed
Speaking exclusively to HT City, GP Vijayakumar, Managing Director of Seven Arts International, said that he bought the full rights to the Hera Pheri franchise in 2022 from Adithya Films.
“They clearly told me that Firoz Nadiadwala was given permission to make only one Hindi remake,” Vijayakumar said. “But he went on to make a second film in 2006. He is not allowed to make any sequel, prequel, or use the same characters.” Vijayakumar added that this made the proposed third film legally questionable.
Why Action Was Not Taken Earlier
When asked why no legal action was taken after the release of Phir Hera Pheri, Vijayakumar explained that the issue was noticed much later.
“The first film was directed by Priyadarshan, who we are close to,” he said. “The second film was directed by Neeraj Vora, and the copyright holders at that time did not fully understand what had happened. We realised later that there was a violation.”
He further said that at the time, the matter was ignored and no legal steps were taken.
Legal Notice and Court Move
The situation changed when Seven Arts International planned to produce the next Hindi version of the film. Vijayakumar said they even approached Akshay Kumar for the project. During discussions, they found out that Nadiadwala had already sold the rights to Akshay’s production house.
“That is when we sent Nadiadwala a legal notice,” Vijayakumar said. “We asked how he could sell rights that did not belong to him. After that, I had no choice but to go to court.”
What Happens Next?
The Madras High Court has now raised questions about whether Hera Pheri 3 is being made at all, given the copyright dispute. The case has brought fresh uncertainty to the future of the franchise, which has a strong fan following across India.
For now, the fate of Hera Pheri 3 depends on how the court decides the ownership of the film’s copyright. Until a clear legal decision is made, the project remains under question.
