Hera Pheri 3 is fast becoming a cautionary tale of how Bollywood is relying more on nostalgia and star power than fresh storytelling.
The original Hera Pheri films were cult for their sharp humour and the unforgettable chemistry between Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal.
Those films set the benchmark for comedy in Indian cinema but the third instalment is now threatening to damage that legacy.
The project has been messed up in delays, script rewrites and frequent cast changes.
Also, recent Paresh Rawal’s exit (despite his denials) and Akshay Kumar’s ₹25 crore lawsuit against him has thrown the film into further chaos.
What was once an eagerly awaited sequel now feels like a desperate attempt to revive the box office than a good story.
This is not an isolated case. The Bhool Bhulaiyaa franchise is another example of how Bollywood is banking on familiar titles.
While Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 were decent a hit, it rode on the original’s brand value and offered nothing new.
The approach shows how sequels are prioritised for profits than originality. Comedy like cinema itself has evolved. What worked two decades ago may not work today.
With Farhad Samji whose recent work has been disappointing handling the script, expectations are low. Sometimes classics are best left untouched.
Chasing profits at the cost of creativity will not only damage the film but also the legacy it’s trying to build upon.
