A still from Hera Pheri 3.
Credit: Special Arrangement
Hera Pheri 3 has stirred excitement ever since its announcement, frequently making headlines. However, a major controversy erupted when reports of Paresh Rawal stepping away from the project went public. The situation got murkier when matters took a legal turn.
Akshay Kumar's production company, Cape of Good Films, one of the co-producers of the movie, reportedly served Rawal with a Rs 25 crore notice, accusing him of abruptly quitting after taking an Rs 11 lakh signing fee, causing delays in the film’s progress.
In response, Rawal’s legal team hit back, clarifying that there was no official contract or finalised script, and confirming the signing amount had been repaid with interest.
A few days on, it has now been out in public that Paresh Rawal is back on board with Hera Pheri 3 after productive discussions and some fine-tuning in the script. Opening up about the situation, the veteran actor clarified that he remains a part of the project.
Paresh spoke about the controversy in a podcast with Himanshu Mehta, he said, "There's no controversy. I believe that when people love something so much, they 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'. So, I thought that 'sab saath mein aaye, mehnat karein. Aur kuch nahin'. It is all resolved now.”
“When the host reconfirmed that the third instalment of the film is in works with the OG cast, Mr Rawal said, 'Pehle bhi aane hi waali' this, but it's just that we had to finetune ourselves (laughs). After all, all of them are creative, be it Priyadarshan, Akshay Kumar or Suniel. They are friends for many, many, many years."
After multiple delays, Hera Pheri 3 reportedly began filming in April 2025 with the original cast, Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal, reuniting on the big screen. While Fahad Samji was initially appointed as director, the project is now being taken over by Priyadarshan, with Feroz Nadiadwala backing this project along with Akshay Kumar.