Hera Pheri
Encyclopedia
Hera Pheri is a 2000 Hindi comedy
film directed by Priyadarshan
starring Akshay Kumar
, Paresh Rawal
, Sunil Shetty and Tabu
. The story of the film is based on the 1989 Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking
, which was also remade into Tamil as Arangetra Velai in the same year. The film spawned a sequel, Phir Hera Pheri
, released in 2006. Hera Pheri 4
will succeed Phir Hera Pheri
, and is in pre-production.
) is a tenant of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte alias Babu Bhaiyya (Paresh Rawal
) and has not paid his rent to Baburao since a long time. Raju does not believe in hard work and wants to earn easy money. He cons everybody, even his mother (Sulabha Arya), who thinks that her son works in Calcutta. Baburao, a bespectacled near-sighted man, runs a garage called "Star Garage", he has a familial debt with many money-lenders, and has hard time with his moneylenders.
Shyam aka Ghanshyam (Sunil Shetty) has come to Mumbai from Gurgaon seeking a job in his late father's bank. Apparently his father died in a fire that broke out in the bank and he claims that the bank owes him the job. He badly needs the money for his friend Khadak Singh's (Om Puri
) sister's marriage. A young woman, Anuradha Panniker (Tabu
), is also in the running after the job. Shyam meets Raju and a misunderstanding causes Shyam to think that Raju is a pickpocket. A fight ensues between the two.
Later that evening, Shyam reaches "Star Garage". Baburao agrees to take him in as a paying boarder, although he warns Shyam that he will have to share the place with another boarder. Unfortunately for Shyam the other guy is Raju, who has not paid Baburao a single penny of rent in the last two years. The two men come to blows again the minute they see each other. Shyam is duped by Raju into signing some papers which gives Shyam's job to Anuradha, but when Shyam learns that Anuradha's family is in a real bad shape, he lets her keep the job. Later the trio start getting along with each other. Raju and Anuradha are now friends and like each other.
Baburao is constantly getting a wrong number phone call addressed to one Mr. Devi Prasad (Kulbhushan Kharbanda
). One day, however, things become serious when a kidnapper named Kabira (Gulshan Grover
) asks for Devi Prasad. Then the trio realise that Devi Prasad is founder of "Star Fisheries", and that Devi Prasad's and Baburao's numbers are interchanged in the telephone directory. Kabira asks for ransom in lieu of Devi Prasad's granddaughter.
Now, Raju decides to benefit from this situation and makes Shyam call Devi Prasad posing as Kabira and demand double the amount asked by Kabira. However, when one employee realises that Devi Prasad's granddaughter might have been kidnapped, he involves the police. Both Raju and Kabira's plans are thwarted and Kabira doubles up the ransom money.
Finally, the trio decide to save the girl irrespective of the consequences. They call Devi Prasad to the location told by Kabira one hour before the time told by Kabira. They explain him that only they can save the girl now. In a hilarious melee that follows between Khadak Singh and his men, Kabira and his cronies, police and the trio, our heroes save the girl and return her to her grandfather. Raju collects all the money, while Shyam and Baburao head towards their home.
When they find that Raju is not at home, they think that he may have fled with the money. Enraged, they call the police and concoct a story to implicate all 3 of them in the kidnapping. When they get off the phone, a jubilant Raju comes waving a suitcase on their faces. He explains the dumbfounded duo that he had to spend some money on repairing the car and also returned debt to Khadak Singh, and sent him on his way to Punjab. When he learns what the duo did, he breaks down and tells them that in this world, all he really cares for is his mother, who will now know her son's state.
As the trio surrenders to police, Devi Prasad comes and bails them out before Raju's mother can come to know what's happening. He thanks the trio for what they did and gives the money to them as gratitude. Suddenly, the phone rings again and the trio realise that it may be for Devi Prasad. But Devi Prasad tells them that this time the phone is for them. They pick up the phone and suddenly become tense. Then it is shown that the caller is Devi Prasad's granddaughter saying "Kabira Speaking". The film ends with the trio breaking into uncontrollable laughter.
had worked with Akshay Kumar
and Sunil Shetty. He had worked with Paresh Rawal
in Doli Saja Ke Rakhna
. This film also marked the beginning of a long association between Priyadarshan and the three named actors.
In films following Hera Pheri, Priyadarshan has made sure that either Kumar, Shetty, Rawal or a combination of the three actors would star in his films. The only exceptions are Dhol
and Billu.
while the lyrics are penned by Sameer
.
for his comic timing and acting, with critics calling it "one of his best performances ever". Aparajita Saha of Rediff stated "the movie belongs entirely to Paresh Rawal. Whatever laughter the film solicits is solely due to him. He has impeccable timing and a natural flair for comedy." Alok Kumar of Planet Bollywood praised the movie saying "Priyadarshan´s Hera Pheri is a delight to watch for its performances, some songs, and an interesting story line". The film has achieved a cult status among Indian audiences, and is regarded as one of the best Hindi comedy films ever made.
Comedy film
Comedy film is a genre of film in which the main emphasis is on humour. They are designed to elicit laughter from the audience. Comedies are mostly light-hearted dramas and are made to amuse and entertain the audiences...
film directed by Priyadarshan
Priyadarshan
Priyadarshan is an Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter. In a career spanning over two decades, Priyadarshan has directed over 80 films in several Indian languages including Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu...
starring Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was particularly known for his appearances in feature films commonly called the "Khiladi series",...
, Paresh Rawal
Paresh Rawal
Paresh Rawal is an Indian actor of Gujarati background.Making his film debut in 1984, he mainly played supporting and villain roles throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Since 2000 he has mostly played comic roles.- Family and early life :...
, Sunil Shetty and Tabu
Tabu (actress)
Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
. The story of the film is based on the 1989 Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking
Ramji Rao Speaking
Ramji Rav Speaking is a 1989 Indian Malayalam comedy film written and directed by the Siddique-Lal duo. It stars Saikumar, Mukesh, Innocent and Rekha in the lead roles. The film deals with social factors affecting Kerala such as poverty and unemployment during the 1980s.Fazil remade this film in...
, which was also remade into Tamil as Arangetra Velai in the same year. The film spawned a sequel, Phir Hera Pheri
Phir Hera Pheri
Phir Hera Pheri is an Indian Bollywood film released in 2006.The film stars the three men from the previous film: Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty. Bipasha Basu and Rimi Sen are the leading actresses of the film. The movie released on 9 June 2006. The movie was inspired from Guy...
, released in 2006. Hera Pheri 4
Hera Pheri 4
Hera Pheri 4 is an upcoming Bollywood comedy film directed by Anees Bazmee and produced by Firoz Nadiadwala. It is the third movie in the Hera Pheri series, after Hera Pheri, which was directed by Priyadarshan and Phir Hera Pheri, which was directed by Neeraj Vora...
will succeed Phir Hera Pheri
Phir Hera Pheri
Phir Hera Pheri is an Indian Bollywood film released in 2006.The film stars the three men from the previous film: Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty. Bipasha Basu and Rimi Sen are the leading actresses of the film. The movie released on 9 June 2006. The movie was inspired from Guy...
, and is in pre-production.
Plot
Raju (Akshay KumarAkshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was particularly known for his appearances in feature films commonly called the "Khiladi series",...
) is a tenant of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte alias Babu Bhaiyya (Paresh Rawal
Paresh Rawal
Paresh Rawal is an Indian actor of Gujarati background.Making his film debut in 1984, he mainly played supporting and villain roles throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Since 2000 he has mostly played comic roles.- Family and early life :...
) and has not paid his rent to Baburao since a long time. Raju does not believe in hard work and wants to earn easy money. He cons everybody, even his mother (Sulabha Arya), who thinks that her son works in Calcutta. Baburao, a bespectacled near-sighted man, runs a garage called "Star Garage", he has a familial debt with many money-lenders, and has hard time with his moneylenders.
Shyam aka Ghanshyam (Sunil Shetty) has come to Mumbai from Gurgaon seeking a job in his late father's bank. Apparently his father died in a fire that broke out in the bank and he claims that the bank owes him the job. He badly needs the money for his friend Khadak Singh's (Om Puri
Om Puri
Om Puri is an Indian actor who has appeared in both mainstream Indian films and art films. His credits also include appearances in British and American films. He has received an honorary OBE.-Early life:...
) sister's marriage. A young woman, Anuradha Panniker (Tabu
Tabu (actress)
Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
), is also in the running after the job. Shyam meets Raju and a misunderstanding causes Shyam to think that Raju is a pickpocket. A fight ensues between the two.
Later that evening, Shyam reaches "Star Garage". Baburao agrees to take him in as a paying boarder, although he warns Shyam that he will have to share the place with another boarder. Unfortunately for Shyam the other guy is Raju, who has not paid Baburao a single penny of rent in the last two years. The two men come to blows again the minute they see each other. Shyam is duped by Raju into signing some papers which gives Shyam's job to Anuradha, but when Shyam learns that Anuradha's family is in a real bad shape, he lets her keep the job. Later the trio start getting along with each other. Raju and Anuradha are now friends and like each other.
Baburao is constantly getting a wrong number phone call addressed to one Mr. Devi Prasad (Kulbhushan Kharbanda
Kulbhushan Kharbanda
Kulbhushan Kharbanda is an Indian actor, who worked in Hindi and Punjabi films, and is known as character Shakaal in Shaan inspired by the character of Blofeld from James Bond movies...
). One day, however, things become serious when a kidnapper named Kabira (Gulshan Grover
Gulshan Grover
Gulshan Grover is an Indian actor, who has acted in over 400 films through a career spanning over 30 years.Gulshan Grover is one of the first Indian actors to have made a successful transition from Bollywood into Hollywood and international Cinema....
) asks for Devi Prasad. Then the trio realise that Devi Prasad is founder of "Star Fisheries", and that Devi Prasad's and Baburao's numbers are interchanged in the telephone directory. Kabira asks for ransom in lieu of Devi Prasad's granddaughter.
Now, Raju decides to benefit from this situation and makes Shyam call Devi Prasad posing as Kabira and demand double the amount asked by Kabira. However, when one employee realises that Devi Prasad's granddaughter might have been kidnapped, he involves the police. Both Raju and Kabira's plans are thwarted and Kabira doubles up the ransom money.
Finally, the trio decide to save the girl irrespective of the consequences. They call Devi Prasad to the location told by Kabira one hour before the time told by Kabira. They explain him that only they can save the girl now. In a hilarious melee that follows between Khadak Singh and his men, Kabira and his cronies, police and the trio, our heroes save the girl and return her to her grandfather. Raju collects all the money, while Shyam and Baburao head towards their home.
When they find that Raju is not at home, they think that he may have fled with the money. Enraged, they call the police and concoct a story to implicate all 3 of them in the kidnapping. When they get off the phone, a jubilant Raju comes waving a suitcase on their faces. He explains the dumbfounded duo that he had to spend some money on repairing the car and also returned debt to Khadak Singh, and sent him on his way to Punjab. When he learns what the duo did, he breaks down and tells them that in this world, all he really cares for is his mother, who will now know her son's state.
As the trio surrenders to police, Devi Prasad comes and bails them out before Raju's mother can come to know what's happening. He thanks the trio for what they did and gives the money to them as gratitude. Suddenly, the phone rings again and the trio realise that it may be for Devi Prasad. But Devi Prasad tells them that this time the phone is for them. They pick up the phone and suddenly become tense. Then it is shown that the caller is Devi Prasad's granddaughter saying "Kabira Speaking". The film ends with the trio breaking into uncontrollable laughter.
Cast
- Akshay KumarAkshay KumarAkshay Kumar is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was particularly known for his appearances in feature films commonly called the "Khiladi series",...
as Raju - Paresh RawalParesh RawalParesh Rawal is an Indian actor of Gujarati background.Making his film debut in 1984, he mainly played supporting and villain roles throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Since 2000 he has mostly played comic roles.- Family and early life :...
as Baburao Ganpatrao Apte aka Babu bhaiya - Sunil Shetty as Ghanshyam (Shyam)
- TabuTabu (actress)Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film...
as Anuradha Shivshankar Panikar - Gulshan GroverGulshan GroverGulshan Grover is an Indian actor, who has acted in over 400 films through a career spanning over 30 years.Gulshan Grover is one of the first Indian actors to have made a successful transition from Bollywood into Hollywood and international Cinema....
as Kabira - Kulbhushan KharbandaKulbhushan KharbandaKulbhushan Kharbanda is an Indian actor, who worked in Hindi and Punjabi films, and is known as character Shakaal in Shaan inspired by the character of Blofeld from James Bond movies...
as Devi Prasad - Om PuriOm PuriOm Puri is an Indian actor who has appeared in both mainstream Indian films and art films. His credits also include appearances in British and American films. He has received an honorary OBE.-Early life:...
as Khadak Singh - AsraniAsraniGovardhan Asrani , popularly known simply as Asrani, is an actor in Indian films whose Bollywood career has spanned over 35 years. His wife Manju Bansal is an actress.-Early life:...
as Bank Manager - Razak Khan as Kabira's Gang Member
- Kashmira ShahKashmira ShahKashmira Shah is an Indian actress and model. She is the granddaughter of noted Hindustani classical singer, Anjanibai Lolekar. She has appeared in numerous Hindi and Marathi films. Shah is a half Maharashtrian and half Gujarati...
as Kabira's Gang Member - Dinesh HingooDinesh HingooDinesh Hingoo, born Dinesh Hingorani, is a Bollywood actor who has played mainly comic roles.Hingoo, who has appeared in about 296 films, from Taqdeer to Be Careful , is known for his unique laughter and Parsee accent...
as Chaman Jhinga - Namrata ShirodkarNamrata Shirodkar- Early life and family :Born on 22 January 1972 in a moderate Marathi-speaking family, Namrata Shirodkar is an Aquarian. She used to live in Khar, a suburb in Mumbai. Her sister is the actress Shilpa Shirodkar...
as Miss Jhinga (Special Appearance) in Song - Mukesh KhannaMukesh KhannaMukesh Khanna is an Indian television and film actor, best known for portraying strong, dynamic characters. He was born on 22 July 1951, in Mumbai, India. He came into the film industry in 1982 after graduating from Film and Television Institute of India. He rose to fame and is still best known for...
as Police Commissioner Prakash - Sulabha Arya as Raju's Mother
- Snehal DabiSnehal DabiSnehal Dabi is an Indian actor who became known for playing the role of "Chander Krishnakant Khote," a fun-loving gangster-wannabe in Satya...
as Man at Bus Stop - Mushtaq Khan as Devi Prasad's Servant
- Kahkashan in a special appearance in song "Jab Bhi Koi Haseena"
Production
Hera Pheri was the first film that PriyadarshanPriyadarshan
Priyadarshan is an Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter. In a career spanning over two decades, Priyadarshan has directed over 80 films in several Indian languages including Malayalam, Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu...
had worked with Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar
Akshay Kumar is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was particularly known for his appearances in feature films commonly called the "Khiladi series",...
and Sunil Shetty. He had worked with Paresh Rawal
Paresh Rawal
Paresh Rawal is an Indian actor of Gujarati background.Making his film debut in 1984, he mainly played supporting and villain roles throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Since 2000 he has mostly played comic roles.- Family and early life :...
in Doli Saja Ke Rakhna
Doli Saja Ke Rakhna
Doli Saja Ke Rakhna is a 1998 Bollywood romance film directed by Priyadarshan. The story is adapted from the 1997 Malayalam film Aniyathipravu, directed by Fazil. It stars Akshaye Khanna and Jyothika Saravanan in the leading roles. The music for the film was done by A. R. Rahman.-Plot:Inderjit...
. This film also marked the beginning of a long association between Priyadarshan and the three named actors.
In films following Hera Pheri, Priyadarshan has made sure that either Kumar, Shetty, Rawal or a combination of the three actors would star in his films. The only exceptions are Dhol
Dhol
Dhol can refer to any one of a number of similar types of double-headed drum widely used, with regional variations, throughout the Indian subcontinent and nearby regions. Its range of distribution in India and Pakistan primarily includes northern areas such as the Assam Valley, Bengal, Gujarat,...
and Billu.
Music
The music of the film is composed by Anu MalikAnu Malik
Anu Malik , born Anwar Sardaar Malik, is a famous music director in the Hindi film industry. Son of veteran music director Sardar Malek, Anu Malik made his debut as a music composer in the year 1977. After a considerable period of struggle, the 90's welcomed Anu with hits like 'Phir Teri Kahani...
while the lyrics are penned by Sameer
Sameer (lyricist)
Sameer is an Indian lyricist,the main form of work undertaken by Sameer is for Indian songs in Hindi language films. His father is the famed Hindi lyricist, Anjaan . Since the beginning of his career, Sameer has penned around 4,000 songs in over 500 Hindi films and more than 130 songs in 23...
.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Singer(s) | Picturized on | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Jab Bhi Koi Haseena" | K.K., Krishna Kumar Krishna Kumar Krishna Kumar is an Indian chemist whose research spans organic chemistry, chemical biology, bioorganic chemistry, biophysics and cell biology.... |
Akshay Kumar Akshay Kumar Akshay Kumar is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was particularly known for his appearances in feature films commonly called the "Khiladi series",... |
06:40 |
| 2. | "Denewala Jab Bhi" | Abhijeet, Vinod Rathod Vinod Rathod Vinod Rathod, the son of singer Pandit Chhaturbhuj Rathod, is a Bollywood playback singer. He has sung in numerous popular Bollywood films including Chal Mere Bhai, Lage Raho Munna Bhai, Mission Kashmir and Baazigar.... , Hariharan Hariharan (singer) Hariharan , born 3 April 1955) is an Indian playback singer in Hindi, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Bhojpuri and Telugu movies, an established ghazal singer, and one of the pioneers of Indian fusion music. His melody is strongly appreciated by the film fraternity... |
Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty Suniel Shetty Sunil Shetty is an Indian film actor, producer, hotelier and liquor and fashion boutique owner. He is mainly active in Bollywood.-Career:Shetty made his acting debut in the 1992.His film Balwaan which was a moderate success. He gave 2 hit films in 1993 Pehchaan and Waqt Hamara Hai. His first... , Paresh Rawal Paresh Rawal Paresh Rawal is an Indian actor of Gujarati background.Making his film debut in 1984, he mainly played supporting and villain roles throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Since 2000 he has mostly played comic roles.- Family and early life :... |
06:50 |
| 3. | "Tun Tunak Tun" | Richa Sharma Richa Sharma Richa Sharma is an Indian film playback singer as well a devotional singer. In 2006, she sang Bollywood's longest track, the bidaai song, in film Baabul .-Early life and background:... |
Akshay Kumar, Namrata Shirodkar Namrata Shirodkar - Early life and family :Born on 22 January 1972 in a moderate Marathi-speaking family, Namrata Shirodkar is an Aquarian. She used to live in Khar, a suburb in Mumbai. Her sister is the actress Shilpa Shirodkar... (Special appearance) |
07:06 |
| 4. | "Main Ladka" | Abhijeet, Kavita Krishnamurthy | Suniel Shetty, Tabu Tabu (actress) Tabu is an Indian film actress. She has mainly acted in Hindi films, though she has also starred in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam and Bengali language films, as well as one American film... |
06:12 |
| 5. | "Humba Leela" | Abhijeet, Vinod Rathod, Hariharan | Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal, Tabu | 04:26 |
| 6. | "Mujhe Se Milti Hai" | Udit Narayan Udit Narayan -Career:King of melody, Udit Narayan Jha was born on 1 December, 1955 in a village called Bhardaha in the Saptari district , Nepal. His father was Hare Krishna Jha and his mother was Bhuwaneshwari Devi.Narayan studied at P.B... , Alka Yagnik Alka Yagnik Alka Yagnik is an Indian singer who is ranked among the best Hindi playback singers of all time. She is a seven-time winner of the Filmfare Best Female Playback Award as well as a two-time recipient of the prestigious National Film Awards... |
Akshay Kumar | 06:00 |
Reception
Hera Pheri did not open well upon release, but picked up later and became a box office success, grossing Rs. 17,25,00,000 in India. Much of the acclaim went to Paresh RawalParesh Rawal
Paresh Rawal is an Indian actor of Gujarati background.Making his film debut in 1984, he mainly played supporting and villain roles throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Since 2000 he has mostly played comic roles.- Family and early life :...
for his comic timing and acting, with critics calling it "one of his best performances ever". Aparajita Saha of Rediff stated "the movie belongs entirely to Paresh Rawal. Whatever laughter the film solicits is solely due to him. He has impeccable timing and a natural flair for comedy." Alok Kumar of Planet Bollywood praised the movie saying "Priyadarshan´s Hera Pheri is a delight to watch for its performances, some songs, and an interesting story line". The film has achieved a cult status among Indian audiences, and is regarded as one of the best Hindi comedy films ever made.
Awards
- Akshay KumarAkshay KumarAkshay Kumar is an Indian film actor, producer and martial artist who has appeared in over a hundred Hindi films. When he began his acting career in the 1990s, he primarily starred in action films and was particularly known for his appearances in feature films commonly called the "Khiladi series",...
won the best supporting actor award at the Bollywood Movie AwardsBollywood Movie AwardsThe Bollywood Movie Awards was an annual film award ceremony held between 1999 and 2007 in Long Island, New York, United States, celebrating films and actors from the Bollywood film industry based in Mumbai, India.-History:...
for his performance. - Paresh RawalParesh RawalParesh Rawal is an Indian actor of Gujarati background.Making his film debut in 1984, he mainly played supporting and villain roles throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Since 2000 he has mostly played comic roles.- Family and early life :...
won the Filmfare Best Comedian AwardFilmfare Best Comedian AwardThe Filmfare Best Comedian Award was given by Filmfare as part of its annual Filmfare Awards for Hindi films, to recognise an actor who had delivered an outstanding performance in a comic role....
for his performance, as well as the Star Screen AwardStar Screen AwardsThe Star Screen Awards is an annual awards ceremony in India honoring professional excellence in film. The nomination and award selection is done by a panel of distinguished professional from the industry itself.- History :...
and IIFA Award in the same category.