Film

Hera Pheri

Name: Hera Pheri
Genre: Comedy, Crime
Released: 2000
Cast: Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal, Tabu, Om Puri

Other titles called Hera Pheri: the 1976 film.

Comedy
Con-artist caper
Light-hearted

A gloriously anarchic heist-comedy about three broke men who intercept a ransom call and decide to collect the money themselves. It's a masterclass in physical comedy, timing, and escalating chaos—the kind of film where every scene builds brilliantly on the last. Perfect if you love criminals who are far too lovable and scheming that somehow gets more tangled the harder they try.

TMDb rating

3.6

Should you watch it?

Watch it if you love farce built on small-time schemers whose plans collapse in escalating, sloppy, character-driven ways, and you don't mind a bit of slapstick chaos.

Skip it if you find broad physical comedy and loud, mugging performances tiring, since the humour leans hard on exaggerated expressions and a lot of shouting over its two-and-a-half-hour run.

What it asks of you: Roughly two and a half hours, with a brisk middle that tangles its schemes tighter scene by scene, and little time spent on quiet reflection.

Not sure? Find tonight's pick in a minute.

If you liked this

Andaz Apna Apna1994

Two con artists compete to win a heiress's heart with increasingly ridiculous schemes. Like Hera Pheri, it's pure comic energy—fast-paced, absurdist, and completely in love with its own lunacy. The chemistry between leads is electric.

But The plot barely matters; it's mostly an excuse for gags. Some of the humour is dated, and you have to surrender to its chaotic logic completely.

Dhamaal2007

Four misfits search for buried treasure in the countryside. It has Hera Pheri's spirit exactly: criminals as endearing goofballs, slapstick that lands, and a script that never stops moving. Joyful and ridiculous in equal measure.

But The plot is even thinner than you'd expect, and some set pieces drag. If you need narrative coherence, this will frustrate you.

Chupke Chupke1975

A husband and wife wage a prank war disguised with false identities. It's Hera Pheri's spiritual ancestor—clever, warm, full of deception used for comedy rather than cruelty. The performances are impeccable and the script is genuinely witty.

But It's slower and more romantic than you might expect. If you want constant slapstick, the dialogue-heavy sections will feel slack.

Not sure tonight? Get a pick in a minute, starting from Hera Pheri

The wildcard

Something you would not have found on your own.

The Sting1973

Both films build their entire pleasure around two charismatic leads executing an elaborate con through sheer charm and timing, treating the heist as performance art.

Two con artists plan an elaborate revenge scheme against a gangster. It's the Western blueprint for Hera Pheri's DNA—the joy of watching two likeable thieves execute an intricate plan, the camaraderie, the delight in outsmarting someone worse. Watching it explains why this story works at all.

But It's deliberate and measured where Hera Pheri is manic. If you're coming for constant energy and gags, seventy minutes in you might wonder if something is supposed to happen.

Golmaal – Fun Unlimited2006

A conman, a joker, a dreamer and an idiot somehow become roommates and careen through increasingly wild situations. It captures Hera Pheri's energy of lovable chaos and has some genuinely inventive comedic sequences that linger.

But The tonal shifts are jarring—it veers from pure slapstick to sentimentality without warning. Some jokes fall completely flat.

Jaane Bhi Do Yaaro1983

Two photojournalists stumble into a corruption scandal and spend the film scrambling to stay alive. It's darker and smarter than Hera Pheri, but shares its love of escalating absurdity and two leads who work brilliantly together in chaos.

But The tone is uneven—it tries to be both serious political satire and broad farce, and doesn't always land both. The pacing is irregular.

Rang De Basanti2006

A documentary filmmaker and eight friends become vigilantes fighting corruption. It has Hera Pheri's ensemble energy and the same joy in watching ordinary people attempt extraordinary plans, though the stakes are real and the mood shifts dramatically.

But The tonal whiplash from comedy to tragedy is severe. If you want consistency of mood, this will jar you constantly.

Johnny Gaddaar2007

A con-game thriller where thieves double-cross each other in an intricate plot. It's Hera Pheri's dark cousin—same criminal energy and plotting, but played entirely straight with genuine tension and a cynical view of loyalty.

But There's no warmth here at all. The characters are genuinely awful, and the film knows it. If you loved the affection Hera Pheri has for its leads, you'll find this cold.

Bol Bachchan2012

A man assumes a fake identity in a small town, leading to mistaken identities and escalating chaos. It's energetic and has some great ensemble sequences, with that same spirit of schemes spiralling beautifully out of control.

But It relies heavily on slapstick that doesn't always work. The second half loses momentum, and some sequences feel like padding.

Sweet Smell of Success1957

Both are driven by schemes and double-crosses, but where Hera Pheri finds joy and humanity in desperation, this finds only ugliness—same plot engine, opposite emotional register.

A press agent and a columnist destroy each other through manipulation and betrayal in Manhattan's nightclub scene. It's the noir inversion of Hera Pheri—the same world of cons and schemes, but drained of warmth and shown as genuinely toxic. Watching it back-to-back shows you exactly what Hera Pheri's affection does for its story.

But It's cynical, cruel, and entirely in black and white. There's no one to like here. If you want goodwill between characters, this will feel like poison.