Hera Pheri 3 in Trouble: Paresh Rawal Exits, Citing Legal Disputes

Hera Pheri 3: A Comedy of Errors

The beloved comedy franchise, Hera Pheri, is facing a major hurdle. Fans were shocked when Paresh Rawal, the iconic Babu Bhaiya, announced his exit from Hera Pheri 3 in mid-May 2025. What followed was a whirlwind of legal notices, public statements, and behind-the-scenes drama, leaving the future of the film uncertain.

The First Sign: Paresh Rawal’s Exit

On May 18th, 2025, Rawal took to X (formerly Twitter) with a surprising statement. He clarified that his departure wasn’t due to creative differences, emphasizing his respect for director Priyadarshan. However, as days passed, it became clear that Babu Bhaiya was truly out of the picture.

Legal Troubles Brew

Just two days later, Akshay Kumar’s production house, Cape of Good Films, slapped Rawal with a Rs 25 crore legal notice. The claim? Rawal’s sudden exit caused significant financial losses as the production had already purchased rights from multiple stakeholders and cleared previous debts to revive the franchise.

Adding fuel to the fire, director Priyadarshan revealed in an interview with Bollywood Hungama that he wasn’t initially keen on a sequel. He only agreed to direct because Akshay Kumar had paid a hefty sum for the rights and persuaded him to come on board with Suniel Shetty and Rawal.

Paresh Fires Back

On May 25th, Rawal’s lawyer Ameet Naik responded to the legal notice, stating that no formal screenplay, story draft, or long-form agreement had been delivered. He further pointed out that original producer Firoz Nadiadwala had raised objections about the making of the film, which likely influenced Rawal’s decision to exit.

Rawal’s lawyer emphasized that they had returned the Rs 11 lakh signing amount with 15% p.a. interest and added a little extra as a gesture of goodwill.

The Missing Paperwork

Adding to the chaos, industry insiders revealed that no final agreement existed between Rawal and Cape of Good Films. The script was reportedly not finalized, and the much-anticipated promo featuring Akshay, Suniel, and Rawal was shot hastily.

More importantly, the franchise rights themselves seemed to be in dispute, with Nadiadwala allegedly challenging Akshay Kumar’s derivative rights to make Hera Pheri 3 without him. This underlying conflict may have contributed to Rawal’s decision to withdraw from the project.

Akshay Breaks His Silence

Finally, on May 27th, Akshay Kumar addressed the controversy at the launch of his upcoming film, Housefull 5. He stated, “I have been working with Paresh Rawal for the last 30 years. We are very good friends. He’s a great actor, and I really admire him. Whatever is happening, I don’t think this is the right place to talk about it since it is a very personal matter.”

A Cautionary Tale

As of now, Hera Pheri 3 is a film plagued by legal troubles, creative indecision, and rights disputes. What was intended to be a nostalgic return of Raju, Shyam, and Babu Bhaiya has sadly transformed into an industry cautionary tale about the importance of paperwork, proprietary rights, and the unpredictable nature of film partnerships.