The much-loved Hera Pheri franchise has been thrown yet another curve ball — not with a clever little twist within the script, but in real life. Akshay Kumar, the face of the comedy classic since the dawn of the century, is suing co-star Paresh Rawal for ₹25 crore for “gross unprofessional conduct” after Rawal walked off the set of Hera Pheri 3 mid-way through filming.
Here’s what you need to know on the drama that has rocked Bollywood.
A Franchise in Limbo
Hera Pheri fans have been waiting for years for a third installment with Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal as the beloved trio of Raju, Shyam and Baburao. Although Hera Pheri (2000) and Phir Hera Pheri (2006), have achieved iconic cult status, Hera Pheri 3 has been stuck in development hell for nearly 10 years, suffering one thing after another, including delays, changes in directors and in-fighting.
When things appeared to be moving in the right direction and filming finally commenced, a sudden blow was dealt to production with Paresh Rawal’s exit.
Why Did Paresh Rawal Walk Out?
There are multiple reports on the subject, but the latest state that Paresh Rawal began filming scenes with Akshay and Suniel when he decided to walk out from the project. Initially, it was thought that he walked out over creative differences, but Paresh cleared the air with a post on social media and stated that his departure had nothing to do with creative differences with the film’s director, Priyadarshan.
He tweeted:
“I have to put on record that my decision to walk out from Hera Pheri 3 is not just a result of creative differences. I REITERATE THAT THERE IS NO CREATIVE DIFFERENCES WITH THE FILM MAKER.”
The reason for his departure is still unclear, but early reports suggest that Rawal “did not want to be part of the film” at this point in time. With all the financial commitments made and done and the filming in motion, this certainly put the production team into a difficult situation.
Akshay Kumar Officially Suing Paresh Rawal
Akshay Kumar has been part of the project not only as an actor but also a producer from his company Cape of Good Films. He will be suing Paresh Rawal for ₹25 crore, for breach of contract as well as losing money due to Rawal’s exit from the film.
This is an unprecedented step for Akshay — the first time in 35 years of acting career that he has sued a fellow actor. Sources in the industry stated that the decision was made with caution as this is not an easy decision to make, and taken with support and knowledge due to the disruption and financial ramifications that through Rawal’s exit.
Past Pattern: Not The First Time
It is not the first time that Paresh Rawal has walked out of a film post-commitment – first while walking out of Billu Barber, then declining Oh My God 2 due to being unhappy with characters’ arcs in the script, and he has previously expressed frustration with sequels, such as his frustration with how Hera Pheri 2 was being developed.
Looking back at an interview, Paresh Rawal said sequels focused on regurgitating, reworking and repaying old material rather than evolving the characters organically. He contrasted the franchise and sequels with Rajkumar Hirani’s film Lage Raho Munna Bhai where he found the characters evolving in new fulfilling ways.
“Or, there’s mental bankruptcy, or mental lethargy. I’m doing the sequel because I don’t want the film to be stuck, but to be honest, there is no happiness” he said,
What Happens To Hera Pheri 3 Now?
With Rawal dropping out, what of Hera Pheri 3 likely an uncertain spot again? Recasting an iconic character, Baburao Ganpatrao Apte is no easy task, after he brought the crazy to the humorous space and memes.
Fans are already reeling from the thought of not having Rawal in the 3rd installment and are unsure if the film could find the same magic absent Rawal. Some speculate the Baburao role may be rewritten or replaced altogether. Others simply want to see a resolution between two old friends.
Industry Reaction
The Bollywood industry has been quiet, however, insiders see the lawsuit as a sign of frustration from producers regarding talent pulling out at last minute particularly as the stakes seem to rise with each passing film.
Industry insiders have mentioned when actors pull out, it leads to significant lost revenue with scheduling, and its impact on the entire cast and crew. Legal contracts seem to becoming more exacting to eliminate the chances of this happening during the schedule.
Final Words
The fallout between Akshay and Paresh in the aftermath of Hera Pheri 3 is unfortunate and rarer indeed for two actors who have most notably made Bollywood audiences laugh with their performances in a comic role and more. As actors await the legal process to take its course, fans bear hope for the franchise outlasts this storm with the same legacy and laughter it is known for.
For now, Hera Pheri 3 languishes, a potentially great comedy’s future rests on a very realup, very serious legal entanglement.