Suniel Shetty recently opened up about the unexpected initial reception of his iconic movies Hera Pheri, directed by Priyadarshan and JP Dutta‘s Border. He recalled that both films had a rocky start but eventually became massive hits.
Talking to Bharti TV, Suniel said, “Hera Pheri’s first two shows were absolutely flat—zero footfalls. It felt like a disaster initially.But during filming, we were constantly laughing. Me, Paresh, and Akshay were confident it was a blockbuster because of the stellar cast—Paresh Ji, Om Puri Ji. Paresh and Akshay’s comedic timing was just extraordinary. The film gained momentum after 6 PM that day. Similarly, Border faced a slow start. People even called it a documentary at first, but now it’s considered one of Indian cinema’s biggest hits.”
Suniel praised Priyadarshan’s brilliance, noting that the director had talented writers like Neeraj Vora and that his timing was impeccable. He likened working with Priyadarshan to returning to school for advanced studies, as the director worked seamlessly with his art director, cameraman, and writers. Suniel also mentioned that Priyadarshan would often spend ten days shooting a single scene to ensure it was captured in the perfect light.
Talking to Bharti TV, Suniel said, “Hera Pheri’s first two shows were absolutely flat—zero footfalls. It felt like a disaster initially.But during filming, we were constantly laughing. Me, Paresh, and Akshay were confident it was a blockbuster because of the stellar cast—Paresh Ji, Om Puri Ji. Paresh and Akshay’s comedic timing was just extraordinary. The film gained momentum after 6 PM that day. Similarly, Border faced a slow start. People even called it a documentary at first, but now it’s considered one of Indian cinema’s biggest hits.”
Suniel praised Priyadarshan’s brilliance, noting that the director had talented writers like Neeraj Vora and that his timing was impeccable. He likened working with Priyadarshan to returning to school for advanced studies, as the director worked seamlessly with his art director, cameraman, and writers. Suniel also mentioned that Priyadarshan would often spend ten days shooting a single scene to ensure it was captured in the perfect light.
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Despite Hera Pheri receiving mixed reviews and moderate box office success upon its release, it has since become a cult classic and is widely regarded as one of the best Indian comedy films ever made. The film’s sequel, Phir Hera Pheri, was released in 2006, and Hera Pheri 3 is currently in the works, which will see the reunion of Paresh Rawal, Suniel Shetty, and Akshay Kumar.
Border 2 was also recently announced with Sunny Deol leading the cast. However, Suniel Shetty’s character, who died in the original film, will not be returning.
