'Hera Pheri' was scene-by-scene remake of this Malayalam film: Director
Priyadarshan just shared that the iconic comedy Hera Pheri (2000) was actually a scene-by-scene remake of the 1989 Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking.
He admitted that nobody wrote new Hindi dialogues for the film; they were all translated from the original.
This came up as he talked about how tricky it can be to adapt South Indian films for Hindi audiences.
Priyadarshan's thoughts on South-to-Hindi remakes
According to Priyadarshan, many South-to-Hindi remakes miss the mark because they don't add enough local flavor. He pointed out Bhool Bhulaiyaa as an example where adapting to Hindi sensibilities worked well.
He also prefers not to show actors the original film, so they bring their own style instead of copying performances.
Priyadarshan added that sequels are usually made for commercial reasons and often shaped by audience hype after a hit movie.