After Paresh Rawal walks out of Hera Pheri 3, Akshay Kumar opens up: 'It is a serious matter’ and ‘will be handled by court’

Bollywood fans have long adored the iconic trio of Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Suniel Shetty in the Hera Pheri franchise. But the dream of watching them reunite in Hera Pheri 3 now seems uncertain. What began as a wave of excitement has quickly turned into confusion, legal drama, and heartbreak for fans. With Paresh Rawal’s sudden exit from the film, followed by reports of a lawsuit filed by Akshay Kumar’s production house, speculation has run wild about what’s really going on behind the scenes.

Akshay Kumar finally broke his silence during the trailer launch of Housefull 5 in Mumbai. When asked about online chatter calling Paresh Rawal "foolish" for walking away from the franchise, Akshay firmly shut it down saying that he does not appreciate the use of the word “foolish” for the actor. He further called his Hera Pheri co-star a “great actor and a close friend. Akshay has worked with Rawal for over three decades. However, he chose not to elaborate further, citing the legal sensitivity of the situation.

Addressing the media, he said that he does not think this is a place where he will talk about it and called it a “very serious matter” which is going to be handled by the courts.

What did Paresh Rawal have to say about his exit from the film?

Earlier speculation suggested that Paresh Rawal exited Hera Pheri 3 due to creative differences. According to a report in Mid-Day, the Andaz Apna Apna actor shared that his decision was more personal. He simply no longer felt connected to the project. While director Priyadarshan attempted to convince him to reconsider, he admitted that he remained firm in his choice, stating that once he makes up his mind, he rarely goes back. The report also addressed rumours that the actor was unhappy with his remuneration, which he denied, emphasising that money was never a factor in his decision. Instead, he felt it was a role he no longer wanted to pursue at this time.

Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal's movies together

Fans are particularly heartbroken because the chemistry between Akshay and Paresh has been the backbone of many beloved comedies—Hera Pheri, Welcome, Bhool Bhulaiyaa, OMG: Oh My God, and De Dana Dan, to name a few. The idea of a Hera Pheri film without Baburao Ganpatrao Apte feels like an emotional void for many.