India, May 1 -- The long-running legacy of Hera Pheri has taken a contentious turn off-screen, with filmmaker Firoz Nadiadwala accusing producers Gopala Pillai Vijaykumar and M. Paul Michael falsely claimed ownership of the Malayalam classic 'Ramji Rao Speaking,' the original inspiration behind the Bollywood hit. Based on the complaint, the Amboli police have registered an FIR on Tuesday against the duo over alleged cheating and extortion attempts.

The 62-year-old producer alleged that the accused falsely claimed ownership of the film and are attempting to extract money, which, he said, could damage his financial interests, reputation, and brand value.

As per the FIR, Nadiadwala, who owns Empire Studio in Andheri West, was approached by...