His reassurance comes as a relief to ‘Hera Pheri’ fans who’ve been anxiously waiting to see the original trio of Paresh Rawal, Akshay Kumar, and Suniel Shetty back on screen.
Image Source: X
It’s finally happening! Paresh Rawal is back in the game, reprising his iconic role of Babu Bhaiya in ‘Hera Pheri 3’. After weeks of speculation, lawsuits, and a public back-and-forth with co-star and producer Akshay Kumar, Rawal has confirmed that he’s rejoining the film, putting an end to the uncertainty that had clouded the much-anticipated third installment of the comedy franchise.
Speaking candidly on a podcast with Himanshu Mehta, Rawal addressed the situation that had left fans and the film industry buzzing for months.
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When asked about the controversy, he calmly brushed it off: “There’s no controversy,” he said. “When people have loved something so deeply, we owe it to them to work hard and deliver something great. We can’t take the audience for granted. Mehnat karke unko do.”
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Rawal emphasized that his intent was always to work together with the original team.
“I just wanted everyone to come together and give it their all. That’s it. Everything is resolved now.”
His reassurance comes as a relief to ‘Hera Pheri’ fans who’ve been anxiously waiting to see the original trio of Paresh Rawal, Akshay Kumar, and Suniel Shetty back on screen.
Asked directly whether the film is officially moving ahead with the original cast, Rawal responded with a smile, “Pehle bhi aane hi waali thi… we just had to finetune ourselves,” adding that director Priyadarshan, Akshay, and Suniel are not just collaborators but longtime friends.
The drama began in May when Rawal unexpectedly posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he was stepping away from the project. Immediately, reports surfaced alleging that he had creative disagreements with director Priyadarshan, who has been a key figure in the franchise’s success.
But Rawal soon set the record straight. “Wish to put it on record that my decision to step away from ‘Hera Pheri 3’ was not due to creative differences,” he wrote in a follow-up post. “I reiterate that there are no creative disagreements with the filmmaker. I hold immense love, respect, and faith in Mr Priyadarshan.”
Still, things took a legal turn. Within 48 hours of his announcement, Akshay Kumar’s production company, now the legal owner of the ‘Hera Pheri’ franchise, filed a Rs 25 crore lawsuit against Rawal, accusing him of derailing the shoot. The suit made headlines, with fans wondering if the beloved ‘Hera Pheri’ universe had finally hit a dead end.
In response, Rawal’s legal team claimed the actor had returned Rs 11 lakh, along with 15% interest, to the production company. His lawyer, Ameet Naik, issued a formal reply defending Rawal’s decision to exit, citing it as a “rightful termination.”
### Akshay Kumar Weighs In
Despite the legal friction, Akshay Kumar took a surprisingly empathetic stance when asked about the fallout at the ‘Housefull 5’ trailer launch.
“Using any harsh word about someone like Paresh ji. I won’t accept that,” he said. “We’ve worked together for 30-35 years. He’s a brilliant actor and a good friend. I really admire him.”
But he also acknowledged the seriousness of the matter, noting that the courts would ultimately handle the dispute.
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