Paresh Rawal confirms return as Baburao in Hera Pheri 3, details inside

Veteran actor Paresh Rawal has officially cleared the air about his reported exit from the much-anticipated film Hera Pheri 3, revealing that the matter has now been resolved and that he will indeed return as the beloved character Baburao Ganpatrao Apte. His confirmation comes after weeks of headlines and speculation triggered by an earlier report from Bollywood Hungama on May 16, which claimed Rawal had quit the project. Speaking on a podcast hosted by Himanshu Mehta, Paresh Rawal said, “There’s no controversy. When people love something so much, they must be even more responsible. You can’t take the audience for granted. We owe them our best.” He added that he only wanted all the main cast and creators to put in equal effort and that everything is now “resolved.”

He further shared that the project was always meant to happen, and it just needed some fine-tuning among the team. “Priyadarshan, Akshay, and Suniel are creative people and friends for many, many years,” he said, hinting at the longstanding camaraderie between the lead team.

What Happened Earlier
On May 16, Rawal confirmed to Bollywood Hungama that he had indeed exited Hera Pheri 3, after which Akshay Kumar’s production house, Cape of Good Films, reportedly sent him a legal notice seeking Rs. 25 crore in damages. It was later revealed that Paresh Rawal had returned his signing amount of Rs. 11 lakh with 15% annual interest, along with an additional payment, to formally step away.

Sources said that Rawal had concerns over the payment terms, as his full fee of Rs. 15 crore would only be released a month after the film’s release, expected no earlier than late 2026 or 2027.

Akshay Kumar Responds
At a recent press event for Housefull 5, Akshay Kumar avoided discussing the matter in detail, citing legal proceedings. However, he won hearts when he defended Rawal, responding to a journalist’s comment calling the actor “foolish” for quitting the film. “I won’t appreciate such words for my co-star. I’ve worked with him for 32 years. He’s a great actor and a dear friend,” Akshay said.

Fans of the Hera Pheri franchise can now breathe a sigh of relief as the core trio, Akshay, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal, are back on track for the next instalment of the cult comedy series.