Paresh Rawal 'did not shoot for Hera Pheri 3', confirms source: 'He exited long before the tent was even pitched'

Paresh Rawal exitted Hera Pheri 3 last week, months before the film, also starring Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty, was to go on the floors.

The drama surrounding veteran actor Paresh Rawal's withdrawal from Priyadarshan's Hera Pheri 3 is nowhere close to ending. After reports said that Akshay Kumar, one of the other leads, is suing Paresh for breach of trust, a source close to the latter has denied that he 'walked out' of the project. (

Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty in a still from Hera Pheri.

Source denies Paresh Rawal shot Hera Pheri 3

A close source to Paresh Rawal said, “Calling someone like Paresh Rawal, a stalwart with four decades of iconic work, ‘unprofessional’ is not just unfair, it’s laughable. Let’s be clear: the film hadn’t even started. There was a promo shoot, not a film schedule. The real shoot is planned sometime next year. So, the idea that he ‘walked out’ is just… worst theatrical imagination at best. He exited long before the tent was even pitched, before the lights, camera, and chaos of the circus rolled into town."

The statement comes after Akshay Kumar's legal representative warned of 'severe legal consequences' to Paresh Rawal for walking out of the film. "There were contracts entered into for the shooting of the trailer. In fact, there was some portion of about three-and-a-half minutes of the film itself that had been shot. Suddenly, a few days ago, we received a notice from Paresh ji saying that he is no longer associated with the film and doesn't want to be associated with the film. So it's taken everybody by shock and surprise, of course," Pooja Tidke, Joint Managing Partner of Parinam Law Associate, which represents Akshay's banner, told PTI.

The source counters the claim that Paresh Rawal shot for the film. "Paresh Rawal is someone who’s built his career one role at a time not on headlines, but on honesty, discipline, and sheer craft. He doesn’t need the noise. And certainly doesn’t thrive on it,” they added.

About Hera Pheri

Paresh portrayed Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in the first two instalments, which were released in 2000 and 2006, respectively. The first film was directed by Priyadarshan, who is also attached to the third instalment. The successful franchise also stars Suniel Shetty in the lead.