Suniel Shetty Heartbroken Over Paresh Rawal’s Exit from ‘Hera Pheri 3’: “It Cannot Happen Without Babu Bhaiya”

May 20, 2025 : The legendary comic trio of Hera Pheri — Raju, Shyam, and Baburao Ganpatrao Apte aka Babu Bhaiya — has been entertaining audiences for over two decades. However, the recent revelation that Paresh Rawal will not return as Babu Bhaiya in Hera Pheri 3 has left fans — and even co-stars — devastated.

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Suniel Shetty, who played the level-headed Shyam in the franchise, expressed deep disappointment and shock over Rawal’s departure. Shetty said,

“I mean, it’s an absolute shock to me… I’m completely heartbroken because if there was one film that I was looking forward to, it was Hera Pheri, you know.”

The actor didn’t mince words when sharing his views on Rawal’s importance to the film:

“It cannot happen. 100 per cent cannot happen without Paresh Rawal. It can have 1 per cent chance without me and Akshay, but 100% can’t happen without Paresh ji. No, it doesn’t. Raju and Shyam, if they’re not hammered by Babu here, it doesn’t work.“

The news of Rawal stepping away was confirmed by the veteran actor himself through a note shared on X (formerly Twitter), where he clarified that the decision was not due to any creative conflict.

“I wish to put it on record that my decision to step away from Hera Pheri 3 was not due to creative differences,” Rawal wrote, adding,
“I REITERATE THAT THERE ARE NO CREATIVE DISAGREEMENTS WITH THE FILMMAKER. I hold immense love, respect, and faith in Mr. Priyadarshan, the film’s director.”

The original Hera Pheri (2000), directed by Priyadarshan, starred Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal, and Tabu. It gained cult status for its hilarious plot and unforgettable dialogues. Its sequel, Phir Hera Pheri, directed by Neeraj Vora, was released in 2006, with Bipasha Basu, Rajpal Yadav, and Rimi Sen joining the cast.

With Paresh Rawal stepping away, the future of Hera Pheri 3 remains uncertain, as fans and co-stars alike struggle to imagine the film without its most iconic character — Babu Bhaiya.

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