May 22, 2025: The ongoing drama surrounding Hera Pheri 3 has taken a new turn as Suniel Shetty opened up about the shocking exit of Paresh Rawal from the much-anticipated sequel. The actor, who is deeply invested in the franchise, expressed his heartbreak over the sudden development and revealed that he and Rawal had only briefly spoken about the matter.
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Shetty admitted to being just as surprised as the fans. He said, “Jitne shocked aap hain, main hoon. Main baat nahi kar paya. Meri Paresh ji se baat hui ek second ke liye. Lekin Paresh ji ne kahan hi mil ke baat karenge. Toh meri baat hi nahi hui hai (I am as shocked as you are. I spoke to him for only a second and he asked to meet. We haven’t been able to meet and talk yet).”
Shetty, who has been closely associated with Hera Pheri for years, further revealed that he had hoped to discuss things in person with Rawal, as the veteran actor is known for keeping such matters private. “Humne trailer shoot kiya hua hai. Toh pata nahi kya hua. Warna Paresh ji aise hain nahi. Kabhi bhi public platform pe announce nahi karte kyuki main, Paresh ji aur Akshay (Kumar) aise (united) hain when it comes to Hera Pheri. Bohot hi charged the (We have shot the trailer, so I don’t know what happened. Otherwise, Paresh ji is not like this. He wouldn’t have announced it on a public platform. Me, Paresh ji and Akshay are united when it comes to Hera Pheri. He was quite charged).”
A Heartbreaking Exit
Shetty, who had been excited about the Hera Pheri franchise, admitted that he was emotionally invested in the upcoming sequel. He shared, “Kuch filmo ko le ke main bohot hi charged tha, Welcome, Awara Pagal Deewana, Hera Pheri. Maine yahi socha tha ki aur kuch nahi karoonga. Ek aad film aisi (Kesari Veer) aayegi toh karoonga, warna sequels karoonga. Lekin this is heartbreaking (I was very charged about films like Welcome, Awara Pagal Deewana, and Hera Pheri. I thought I would only do sequels now, unless a film like Kesari Veer comes up. This is heartbreaking).”
His sentiments were echoed in an earlier interview with ETimes, where he admitted feeling hurt by the situation. “Hurt! Honestly, we have been friends for too long. We have had our ups and downs, it happens with family in life. Hera Pheri cannot happen without Paresh, without Raju (Akshay Kumar) and Shyam (Suniel Shetty).”
Shetty emphasized that, despite the current chaos, he hoped for the best for his two long-time friends, Akshay and Paresh. “Even if Hera Pheri doesn’t happen, I do not want those two friends to be bitter about each other. I don’t want them to fall out. Our industry constantly goes through so much. We are all the time battling to prove ourselves. I don’t want two friends to fall apart.”
Akshay Kumar’s Legal Action
In a further twist, Paresh Rawal’s sudden exit has led to a legal battle. Akshay Kumar’s production company, Cape of Good Films, has reportedly sent a legal notice to Rawal, suing him for Rs 25 crore. The production house claims that Rawal had already begun shooting for the film and had accepted partial payment for his role before pulling out.
As per a statement from Pooja Tidke, Joint Managing Partner of Parinam Law Associates, Rawal now has six days to pay the demanded Rs 25 crore or face further legal consequences.