Not a verdict, but just trying to recognise a pattern here. Just a few days ago, the hullabaloo took over the internet. Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal posing together, seemingly confirming the long-awaited Hera Pheri 3. Fans had cheered the trio’s return, unaware that behind the staged smiles, all was far from well.
As it turned out, Rawal had received no script, no character arc, and no clarity about the film he was apparently promoting. Despite accepting a modest signing amount, his discomfort reportedly grew as the production lacked a bound screenplay or formal narration. His exit spiralled into a legal dispute, with Akshay Kumar’s banner accusing him of breach of commitment. But Rawal’s legal team maintained there was no binding agreement, and that the fee had been returned with interest before any notice was served.
Layered with legal fog and old creative bruises, this seemed more tangled than a simple casting issue. Producer Firoz Nadiadwala’s claim over the franchise’s IP rights had further muddied the waters.
If accurate, Akshay Kumar’s team promoting Hera Pheri 3 without proper clearance might have triggered Rawal’s hesitation. Their growing distance had already become evident during OMG 2, a sequel that had left Rawal out despite his central role in the original. He had, after all, expressed dissatisfaction with how Phir Hera Pheri had veered into slapstick, and seemed unwilling to repeat past missteps.
Perhaps, this wasn’t so much a fallout as it was a quiet refusal to play along with another rushed, ill-defined sequel.
Soon after the step out, Akshay Kumar’s production house served him a legal notice, claiming damages of ₹25 crore. Rawal’s team countered with the argument that there was no formal contract in place and that the ₹11 lakh signing amount had been returned, along with 15% interest, well before the legal drama escalated, as per media reports.
But now the twist takes the turn. Paresh Rawal is back again. In a recent podcast with Himanshu Mehta, Paresh Rawal, said, “There’s no controversy. I believe that when people have loved something so much, then you have to be extra careful. It is our responsibility towards the audience. The audience has given you so much adulation. You can’t take things for granted. Mehnat karke unko (film) do.” He added, “So, I was of the opinion that sab saath mein aayein, mehnat karein. Aur kuch nahin. It is all resolved now,” as NDTV quotes.
Does it not look more like a fine-tuning than a fallout?
So, was the dramatic exit just a carefully timed PR beat? Or a genuine creative standoff smoothed over behind the scenes?
Either way, it’s hard to ignore how conveniently the chaos kept Hera Pheri 3 in headlines, without a single frame being shot.
