'Hera Pheri 3' writer Rohan Shankar on the project due to legal issues: 'If Priyadarshan sir is there, maybe I will be too'

'Hera Pheri 3' was supposed to be the comeback that a generation of Bollywood fans had been waiting for with Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal reuniting as Raju, Shyam, and Baburao in the franchise. But the road to that reunion has been anything but comedic. In an recent conversation, writer Rohan Shankar who wrote the film's teaser and was in talks to work on the full script has revealed that he is no longer attached to the project due to legal complications, delivering the latest setback in a saga that has seen the franchise entangled in a rights dispute that reached the Madras High Court.“I was in talks, and it was supposed to happen, but it didn’t because of legal issues. Hopefully, if Hera Pheri 3 happens and if Priyadarshan sir is there, maybe I will be too,” he told News18. When asked to clarify what he meant by “if Priyadarshan sir is there,” Shankar pointed to the filmmaker’s packed schedule.“No, Priyan sir, because he is doing a lot of work, we have just shot 'Bhooth Bangla' and 'Haiwan', and now he has to do another film. After that, he has to do a film with Mohanlal sir, which is his 100th film... He doesn’t stop. Priyan sir works a lot. Priyan sir and Akshay sir are workaholics,” he said.He further added, “He has to do one film, then write another, then shoot it, so he keeps on going. Now, in that structure, when will Hera Pheri happen and when will all of this be solved?” Shankar admitted that the uncertainty around the legal issues makes it difficult to predict the film’s timeline.“If it’s solved quickly, then Priyan sir will do it. I don’t know what is happening there, but Priyan sir won’t stop amid all of this. He might make five films before Hera Pheri even starts,” he said.Priyadarshan is currently immersed in the promotions of his upcoming film, 'Bhooth Bangla' starring Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Rajpal Yadav, Mithila Palkar and the late Asrani. The veteran director will also be helming the Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan starrer, 'Haiwaan'.