Creative rift, legal notice lead to Paresh Rawal’s exit from ‘Hera Pheri 3’

The future of the beloved "Hera Pheri" franchise appears increasingly uncertain, as veteran actor Paresh Rawal—best known for his portrayal of the iconic Baburao Ganpatrao Apte—has stepped away from "Hera Pheri 3". The move has triggered a legal row and fuelled speculation of ongoing tensions between Rawal and co-star Akshay Kumar.

According to industry insiders, Rawal grew uneasy with the project's lack of a bound script or concrete character development. While he participated in a promotional shoot alongside Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty, Rawal reportedly had not been briefed on the role's scope or narrative details. 

Despite the shoot being marketed as the trio's long-awaited reunion, there was allegedly no finalised screenplay in place—a major point of contention for the actor.

The matter escalated when Kumar's banner, Cape of Good Films, issued a legal notice to Rawal, seeking Rs 25 crore in damages. The notice claims Rawal had accepted an advance of Rs 11 lakh and committed to the film, only to later withdraw, thereby affecting production timelines.

In response, Rawal's legal team argued that no formal agreement had been signed. They stated the signing amount was returned with 15 percent interest well ahead of any legal notice, calling the case "baseless" and asserting that the actor was within his rights to decline a loosely defined project.

Further complicating the scenario is the contested ownership of the "Hera Pheri" intellectual property. Original producer Firoz Nadiadwala is said to have regained the rights to the franchise and reportedly cautioned others against unauthorised promotion of a new sequel. This uncertainty surrounding IP rights may have influenced Rawal's decision to disengage from the project.

While unrelated to "Hera Pheri", some observers point to Rawal's absence from "OMG 2" as an early sign of creative differences. The actor had headlined the 2012 original, "OMG: Oh My God!", alongside Kumar. 

However, he was not cast in the recent sequel, where Kumar appeared in a divine role and served as co-producer. This omission has led to speculation about a widening professional gap.

Rawal had previously expressed reservations about the direction taken by "Phir Hera Pheri" (2006), noting its departure from the grounded humour of the original. 

Sources close to the actor indicate that he was keen to avoid a similar misstep, seeking script assurance before making any commitments to "Hera Pheri 3".

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Actor Mukul Dev no more

Suniel Shetty, who plays Shyam in the franchise, has voiced his dismay at Rawal's exit. Meanwhile, director Priyadarshan hinted that the irreplaceable chemistry between the original trio may prove difficult to recreate. With one of its cornerstone characters now missing, the fate of "Hera Pheri 3" remains uncertain.