Hera Pheri 3 Hits Fresh Legal Roadblock As South Producer Claims Ownership Rights In Madras High Court

The much-anticipated comedy sequel Hera Pheri 3 has encountered yet another significant hurdle, this time stemming from a copyright ownership dispute that has reached the Madras High Court.

Seven Arts International, a South-based production company, has filed a suit against veteran producer Firoz Nadiadwala, asserting that it—not Nadiadwala—holds the legitimate rights to the Hera Pheri franchise. According to reports , the petitioner argues that Nadiadwala received permission solely to remake the 1989 Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking into the 2000 Hindi blockbuster Hera Pheri, directed by Priyadarshan. The original agreement did not authorize sequels, spin-offs, or continued use of the characters.

Nadiadwala proceeded to produce the 2006 follow-up Phir Hera Pheri, directed by Neeraj Vora, and later transferred the franchise rights—including for the third film—to Akshay Kumar’s Cape of Good Films banner.

Seven Arts International’s Managing Director, GP Vijaykumar, told that his company acquired full rights to the franchise in 2022 directly from Aditya Films, the producers of the original Malayalam source material. He alleged that Nadiadwala overstepped by creating an unauthorized sequel and subsequently selling those rights. Vijaykumar explained that no earlier action was taken due to industry relationships, including with Priyadarshan, but the recent transfer to Akshay Kumar’s company prompted a legal notice and, ultimately, the court petition.

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The Hera Pheri franchise has long been stalled by various challenges, including script disputes, directorial changes, cast scheduling conflicts, and now this rights battle.

Production on Hera Pheri 3 has yet to commence, with Paresh Rawal recently indicating a possible start in early 2026—though the litigation has introduced fresh uncertainty.

During hearings, the Madras High Court questioned Nadiadwala on whether the third installment is even in active development, underscoring the precarious status of the project amid these copyright infringement allegations.