Months of rumors, doubts, and headlines have ended, and actor Paresh Rawal is now officially back to take up the much-loved role of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in the most-awaited Hera Pheri 3. His previous departure is depressing to fans of the cult-comedy franchise, but now they can feel relieved.
Rawal covered all bases, as he candidly discussed how he ended up handling all the creative delays, the underlying tension behind the creative delays, and the eventual apology because of mutual consensus that led to the re-formation of the original trio in a recent podcast on his YouTube channel with Himanshu Mehta. To him, disagreement was never the issue; it was an issue of doing justice to a legacy.
There shall be no Controversy—Only Caution
Putting a rest to the chatter of his brief exit, Paresh Rawal was more than eager to clear the air that everything is not as ‘dramatic’ as it sounds. The only thing was that there was no controversy to it, actually, he clarified. Once you are involved in something that people cherish so much, you must be highly careful. That love should be respected by you.
Rawal said that, according to the utterances of the whole team, the third part of the series of the Hera Pheri movie required a lot of planning, not just the reminiscing sessions. You cannot afford to be casual about it. It is not good enough for the audience. Hard work, not palming off, we owe them,” he said.
Back on the Team: You Are Set Now: It is all sorted!
Rawal clarified the rumors when he was directly asked whether he was coming back into the franchise, to which he responded with a definitive yes. He also said that he did not rush into the decision; it was made after discussing the matter with his old-time friends and co-stars Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty and with his longtime collaborator and director Priyadarshan.
Rawal said that it had to occur all along. We simply needed to adjust up just a bit. Certainly, creative individuals meet some twists in life occasionally, yet the pinnacle of respect and friendship is never lost.”
He spoke of both Akshay and Suniel as not merely co-actors but as friends for decades, and the ultimate desire of the team was to reunite and produce something worth the name that the franchise has produced.
A Rocky Patch: The Departure that Upset Fans
It follows a rocky period of several months, during which the fans were shocked by the news about Paresh Rawal quitting the film. His departure was at the time thought to have been due to a rift with the producers as to creativity. Rawal, however, subsequently explained on social media that his decision was not related to any content-related disagreement.
I have to say it on record, and I did not have any creative clash in leaving Hera Pheri 3, he went on to tweet. Priyadarshan, I respect and believe very much. This never was the point.”
The plot seems to have quickly heated up behind the scenes, even though he makes a quietly staid statement.
Akshay Kumar Production Comes to the Rescue of Legal Trouble
Legal Trouble: Akshay Kumar Production Steps In. Thereafter, it became legal as Rawal announced this. It was reported that the third part of Hera Pheri is being produced by Akshay Kumar, in whose production house a legal notice was reported to be served to the veteran actor. The notice required that it should be given 25 crores in damages on the basis of breach of contract.
Rawal, as per the production team, had already taken advance money of Rs 11 lakh and had also shot the publicity on behalf of the film. Their argument was that his abrupt departure was detrimental to the project financially and reputation-wise.
The legal team of Rawal immediately refunded the sum and 15% interest, though, on their part, they also provided a formal statement of his departure. The actor later confirmed that his lawyer has sent the required counteraction. After reading it, all the issues must be discussed.”
Rawal receives the support of Akshay Kumar
Though the scenes were not the best on set, Akshay Kumar did not hesitate to rush to Rawal’s defense on Twitter when fans criticized the actor. A journalist quickened the launch of the trailer of Housefull 5 by mentioning that online, many others had begun referring to Rawal as a fool owing to the decision to leave Hera Pheri 3.
Akshay was back. That is not fair at all. I have known Pareshji for more than 30 years. He is not only a co-actor but also a great friend and a great actor. It is completely not okay to use an insulting word such as fool on a person like him.
Akshay further stated that the legal issue was a different ballgame, but this did not take away his respect for Rawal. It is being professionally done. However, we cannot overlook his contribution towards the industry and this very movie (Hera Pheri) itself.”
Why Such a Reunion has been so Important
Hera Pheri franchise is not a series of comedy movies; it is an epic phenomenon. The chemistry involving the three of Akshay Kumar (Raju), Suniel Shetty (Shyam), and Paresh Rawal (Babu Bhaiya) is legendary. Their timing, endearing banter, and memorable punch lines continue to be reposted on social media over twenty years on.
At the time the rumors about the break-up of the cast appeared, the fears of fans arose because of the possibility of the third film failing or losing in original spirit. The comeback of Rawal has once again sparked some hope and anticipation over a film that everyone has been anticipating since 2006.
Check out the future of Hera Pheri 3.
Even though not much about the complete production lineup and release dates has been revealed, trade pundits have confirmed that Hera Pheri 3 is actually being rolled into its pre-production phase. The screenplay is under discussion, and though it is still being said that Priyadarshan will direct the film, nothing has been made official regarding the director.
It is known that the writing has a goal of achieving a mix between nostalgia and newness. It has also been reported that the team is keen to keep the charm of the original characters but change the tone of its material to suit the sensibility of the current audience.
As it is reported by the sources close to the production, the objective is not to cash in only on the old memories. New challenges and situations that Baburao, Raju, and Shyam may encounter several years in the future are being constructed into the script.
A Lost Heritage
With the three now back in the film, the anticipation for Hera Pheri 3 has reached a fever point. The buzz on social media is full of memes, fan art, and tribute videos as Baburao comes back. To some people, it is like a prodigal son has finally returned home.
When most sequels do not stand out, Hera Pheri 3 gets a golden chance, not only to entertain but also to remind cinema of its audience. Like Paresh Rawal aptly said, we should never miss taking the love of the audience for granted.
Conclusion: The Laughter Some Day Will Be Back
The road to Hera Pheri 3 was not a very smooth one, but the reunion of its main cast demonstrates that even the most problematic situations, when combining mutual respect, patience, and dialogue, can be eliminated.
With everything back on track, the fans can now eagerly await what can be an enchanted ride filled with the nostalgia of yesteryears and more laughter and warm fuzziness that seem to complete the characters and legacy defined by the story that began more than two decades ago.
He had, as Baburao would have spoken, to rise—Bach le re deva… Thoda intezaar kar le, picture abhi baaki hai.