The chatter around Hera Pheri 3 refuses to die down anytime soon. First, the makers were asked to get actor Akshay Kumar back for the third instalment, and now that he is, it appears that fans aren’t too pleased with filmmaker Farhad Samji helming the project. The first two films of the franchise were directed by Priyadarshan and Neeraj Vora, respectively. On Friday evening, Akkistan, a fanclub of Kumar’s on Twitter, urged movie buffs to unite and make ‘Remove Farhad Samji from Hera Pheri’ trend. And it is among the top trends on the platform.

Talking to us about the uproar, Neeraj Raut, owner of the fan club, says, “Starting from Entertainment (2014), Housefull 3 (2016) to Bachchhan Paandey (2022), none of Farhad’s films have helped Akshay sir at the box office or content-wise. It has caused more damage to his image.”

The demand for another director for Hera Pheri 3 grew after Samji’s recent directorial, the web series Pop Kaun? received negative reviews across sections. “We were against him from the first day, and now we’re absolutely sure he should not ruin a classic franchise. His content is becoming cringier with every project,” rues Raut, who penned an open letter for the actor.

While the Hera Pheri fans call for Samji’s removal, industry experts seem divided over the opinion. Trade expert Atul Mohan agrees with the fans’ sentiment, saying, “We should respect public opinion. Earlier, nobody cared who directed a film, but now, ardent fans want to have a say. Producers should reconsider getting someone sensible who can do justice to a popular franchise.”

While trade expert Taran Adarsh agrees “Twitter trends can influence”, he adds, “It will be the producer and the actors who will take the call.”

Trade analyst Komal Nahta, however, feels it’s too early to comment on whether a particular director should helm a project or not. “If they start deciding who should make a film, then why don’t they start make it? They have a right to comment once the film is available to the public,” he shares.