‘Hera Pheri 3’ rights row has been changed. Cape of Good Films LLP, the production house owned by: Akshay Kumarissued a public notice in the July 4, 2026, edition of the trade magazine Complete Cinema, stating that it alone has the exclusive right to make and commercially exploit the film. The notice also warned members of the film trade and other businesses against entering into agreements with any third party regarding the rights of ‘Hera Pheri 3’ without the company’s signature.
Public notice addressed to industry stakeholders
The public announcement, a screenshot shared by Akshay Kumar’s fan club, was reported by Bollywood Hungama. It addresses the general public as well as stakeholders across the Indian film industry, including distributors, exhibitors, cinema chains, OTT platforms, television broadcasters, digital platforms, advertisers, licensors, licensees, aggregators, syndicators and other relevant parties.The notice reads, “Hereby notice is given to the public in general, and the Indian film trade in particular, including without limitation all distributors, exhibitors, cinema chains, OTT and streaming platforms, television broadcasters, digital platforms, advertisers, licensors, licensees, aggregators, syndicators, and all other persons and entities concerned, that the LLP is the exclusive owners of the Film, that the LLP is the exclusive owners of the film, and the irrevoc. worldwide, perpetual, and unrestricted license to produce, distribute, market, exploit, commercialize, and otherwise deal in the cinematograph film now entitled ‘Hera Pheri 3’ (‘the Film’), with all rights therein, in all ways, media, platforms, technologies, and forms, now known or hereafter created.”It further states, “All persons and entities are hereby called upon to acknowledge and respect the aforementioned rights of Cape of Good Films LLP and are further cautioned against entering into any arrangement, transaction, negotiation, representation, or dealing with any third party claiming rights in or relating to the Film without the prior written consent of Cape of Good Films LLP.”
Legal: warning attached to the notice
The notice also includes a legal warning, which states, “Any person acting contrary to this notice shall do so at their own risk, and Cape of Good Films LLP reserves all rights and remedies available at law and in equity.”
Priyadarshan Firoz Nadiadwala’s exit and allegations
This public announcement comes amid ongoing uncertainty over the fate of Hera Pheri 3. The film has remained in the news in recent weeks after filmmaker Priyadarshan announced that he was stepping down from directing the much-anticipated comedy. She also made serious allegations against producer Firoz Nadiadwala, claiming that she was repeatedly insulted during their engagements. The director added that he believes that ‘Hera Pheri 3’ would have become one of the biggest film franchises in India if he had been in the lead.
Priyadarshan remembers being insulted by Firoz Nadiadwala
In a conversation with Mid-Day, Priyadarshan shared the details of one such episode, saying, “Firoz told Akshay, ‘You have the right to make Hera Pheri 3, but never make it with Priyadarshan. That’s my only request.’ He has insulted me many times. He told me that my cut of Hera Pheri (2000) looked like a poor man’s version and he had to edit my five-hour movie. Initially I agreed to do the third part with Akshay because I believed I could create one of the biggest franchises in the country. Had I been directing it, I could have made it bigger than Dhurandhar. Akshay, Suniel and Paresh asked me to make Hera Pheri 3. When I narrated the story to them, they were all excited.”
Hera Pheri 3’s turbulent journey so far:
‘Hera Pheri 3’ was initially slated to reunite the beloved trio of Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty: and: Paresh Rawal:with Priyadarshan at the helm. Since then, however, the project has run into several obstacles. Paresh Rawal briefly exited the film in May 2025 before returning to the cast, and the project continued to be embroiled in legal disputes.