‘Hera Pheri 3’ continues to remain in the spotlight for Bollywood fans, but not for the reasons fans have hoped for. Months after reports suggested that all issues between the film’s lead actors had been resolved, fresh reports have now revealed that veteran actor Paresh Rawal has once again stepped away from the much-awaited comedy sequel.
Paresh Rawal gives interest?
According to a report by Bollywood Hungama, Paresh Rawal has reportedly returned the signing amount he had received for the film, along with 15 per cent interest and additional compensation. The development has once again sparked speculation over the future of the third instalment in the popular franchise.
A source quoted by the portal revealed details about the payment arrangement and the actor’s concerns regarding the contract. “His total fees were locked at Rs. 15 crores. The term sheet mentioned that Paresh Rawal would receive the balance amount - Rs. 14.89 crores - only one month after the release of the film. The senior actor had reservations about this clause. Also, the film’s principal shoot is to commence sometime next year. This means that ‘Hera Pheri 3’ was unlikely to be released before late 2026 or in 2027. In short, Paresh would have had to wait for nearly two years to get the rest of his acting fees."
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Budget issues or internal mishaps? What was the real cause?
Despite the reports making headlines, there has been no official confirmation from either the makers of the film or Paresh Rawal himself. The report further claimed that the announcement teaser for ‘Hera Pheri 3’ was shot on the sets of ‘Bhoot Bangla’.
For the unversed, the original Hera Pheri, inspired by the Malayalam film Ramji Rao Speaking (1989), became one of Indian cinema’s most iconic comedy films. Its sequel, Phir Hera Pheri (2006), directed by the late Neeraj Vora, further strengthened the popularity of the trio, Raju, Shyam, and Baburao Ganpatrao Apte. While official details about Hera Pheri 3 remain under wraps, fans continue to eagerly wait for the return of the original cast.
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Akshay Kumar reacts
According to a report by News18, actor Akshay Kumar recently spoke about the film during a conversation with Shubhankar Mishra and hinted that the project is currently not moving forward smoothly. “Hera Pheri 3 abhi filhaal toh nahi ban rahi… Mujhe khud jhatka laga tha. Koi baat nahi, Welcome bana li. Thoda kuch mantra padhna padega ki sab theek ho jaaye. Abhi ek saal toh nahi hain. Uske bohot saare issues hain, aisa nahi hain ki hum teeno [actors] saath nahi hain." (Hera Pheri 3 is currently not being filmed right now. I got equally shocked as well, but it’s ok, Welcome was made. I have to do some chanting so that everything goes well. Now, one year is not left. There are a lot more issues, it’s not like we 3 are not together.)
