Hera Pheri (2000) fans are in for a sad news as director Priyadarshan recently announced that he is not part of the proposed third part of the film franchise. Earlier this year the movie had already gotten into trouble with actor Paresh Rawal exiting and then rejoining the film. Priyadarshan also stated that the film might never see the light of day because of the legal troubles around it.

In a recent interview with Variety India, Hera Pheri 3 producer had said that the project is moving ahead but Priyadarshan is not associated with it. “Things are on track and moving in the right direction,” he said, adding, “Priyadarshan is not part of it.”

Later, in a report by Hindustan Times, Priyadarshan confirmed his exit from the film. “What Firoz has said is true. I am not associated with Hera Pheri 3 at the present. To the best of my knowledge, Hera Pheri 3 will never hit the screens due to lots of legal issues and personal conflicts. Whether I am involved or not is unimportant.”

There is also lack of clarity over who owns the rights for the film. As per Bar & Bench, apparently Firoz Nadiadwala only had rights to remake the 1989 Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking and then made Hera Pheri (2000). Earlier this year, the production house Seven Arts International, which claims to currently hold the rights for Ramji Rao Speaking moved the Madras High Court claiming that the director had no rights to make the film’s sequel Phir Hera Pheri (2006) since they had rights to remake only the first film. Seven Arts International stated that they didn’t move the court earlier but now Firoz has given the rights to make the third part of the film to Akshay Kumar’s production house Cape of Good Films.