Priyadarshan is not very hopeful about the future of Hera Pheri 3. The director, who helmed the first two films in the popular comedy franchise, has suggested that the third instalment may never make it to the big screen. While he did not go into the details of what has held up the project, his response points to several unresolved issues surrounding the film.
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Priyadarshan was asked whether Hera Pheri 3 would ever get made. The filmmaker was far from optimistic about its chances. “That has a lot of other complications, too many complications. I’d need chapters and chapters to talk about it,” he said when asked about his decision to step away from the project.
Asked whether the third film would eventually happen, he added, “I don’t think it will ever get made”.
The comments come amid continued uncertainty around the next chapter of the comedy franchise, which features Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty in its much-loved lead roles.
While Hera Pheri 3 has its own set of complications, Priyadarshan has also explained why he generally prefers not to return to his successful films for another instalment. According to the director, a sequel should offer something better than the original instead of relying on the popularity of the first film.
Explaining his approach, he said, “That is why I never do sequels because the reason that you are doing part 2, it should be better than the part one, like with the Terminator franchise where part 2 was a better film than part 1. Unless you have a much better story, you shouldn’t do it. People always make a sequel when the first one really works, so if you don’t better it, there is no value for the franchise.”
He also believes that some filmmakers focus more on the commercial value of an established title than on developing a strong story. “What happens with sequels is that they are selling the value of the first film. They are not making a film, they are making a project, and I am not interested in projects,” he said.