Paresh Rawal’s recent tweet regarding his walkout from Hera Pheri 3 has brewed some new controversies, and it might not end any time soon.
Paresh, who played the character Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in the previous two movies of the franchise, had decided to walk out of the upcoming sequel, resulting in his co-actor and the now producer of the film, Akshay Kumar, filing a Rs 25 crore lawsuit against him.
Following this, Paresh’s lawyer, Ammet Naik, a big name in media litigation, has now sent a response regarding his rightful termination and exit.
Paresh is no newcomer to the game; he claims once the opposing party has read his response, all issues will be laid to rest. For him to make such claims, Paresh must be standing on strong legal ground.
Perhaps Akshay acted in haste by sending Paresh Rawal a legal notice for damages. Once damages are claimed in court, seeking a specific performance—rejoining the cast—is no longer an option, unless both parties settle it out of court.
Insider reports suggest that there was no final agreement between Akshay’s company and Paresh Rawal. Even the script isn’t finalized, and the promo was reportedly also shot in haste.
There are claims that Paresh also didn’t receive a final script or a binding contract, raising questions about the grounds on which the 25 crore notice was raised.
Adding to the chaos, Firoz Nadiadwala, the original producer of the franchise, claims he hasn’t granted any derivative rights for the third film yet, an issue he’s flagged before with Akshay, Priyadarshan, and co-stars Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty.
This legal uncertainty—along with no readiness of either the script or film’s schedule—may have driven Paresh to exit the franchise.
Many on social media feel Paresh’s walking out on the project seems unprofessional, but given the circumstances, it’s hardly black and white.
As for the fans, many believe the film should be shelved until things are fully confirmed and the film is ready to go to floors.
As the court battle entails, the irony writes itself—a franchise built on the premise of chaos and confusion is now caught in a real-life Hera Pheri of its own.
