In a significant development surrounding the much-anticipated comedy film Hera Pheri 3, veteran actor Paresh Rawal’s legal team has issued a formal statement clarifying his exit from the project. The statement comes amid reports of a legal tussle between Rawal and actor-producer Akshay Kumar, who alleges financial and logistical losses following Rawal’s departure.
Rawal’s legal representatives from the firm Anand & Naik addressed the controversy in a detailed statement to IANS, shedding light on the reasons behind his decision to step away from the film. This follows Rawal’s post on X (formerly Twitter) on Sunday morning, where he declared, “My lawyer, Ameet Naik, has sent an appropriate response regarding my rightful termination and exit. Once they read my response all issues will be laid to rest.”
The lawyers explained that the production failed to provide essential elements such as the story, screenplay, and a draft of the long-form agreement—elements considered critical for Rawal’s involvement. They also highlighted complications stemming from notices issued by Firoz Nadiadwala, producer of the original Hera Pheri films.
“Admittedly, they did not deliver the story, screenplay and also a draft of a long form agreement which was fundamental to the engagement of our client. In the absence of these and also since Mr. Nadiadwala, the producer of the original films, issued notice to our client and raised issues on the making of the film, our client chose to exit and returned the money with interest by terminating the Term sheet,” the legal team stated.
The legal representatives emphasized that Rawal acted in good faith, maintaining cordial ties with Firoz Nadiadwala while seeking to protect his own interests. The actor reportedly returned the signing amount of ₹11 lakh along with interest to Akshay Kumar’s production house, which had taken over the rights to produce Hera Pheri 3.
Addressing Akshay Kumar’s allegations of financial setbacks, the lawyers said, “First they accepted the monies but later unfortunately sent an untenable notice to our client when knowingly nothing was and is ready including no story and cloud over the title: so there can never be any loss. I hope they would accept this reality and move on from our client.”
Akshay Kumar, who not only stars as Raju in the franchise but also serves as its producer, is said to have filed a lawsuit against Paresh Rawal following his exit. Fans of the beloved franchise were left disheartened as news of the actor stepping away from the role of Babu Bhaiyya surfaced.
Paresh Rawal, however, dispelled rumors of creative differences with longtime collaborator and director Priyadarshan. “I hold huge respect for the filmmaker in my heart,” he said, clarifying that the decision was not impulsive. He further explained that the character of Babu Bhaiyya no longer aligned with his artistic sensibilities.
With both parties digging in legally, the fate of Hera Pheri 3 now hangs in the balance. Whether the iconic trio of Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal will reunite remains uncertain, leaving fans awaiting clarity on the future of this iconic comedy series.
Sources By Agencies
