Suniel Shetty has finally addressed the ongoing controversy surrounding Hera Pheri 3, particularly in light of veteran actor Paresh Rawal’s unexpected departure from the project. The actor, whose association with the franchise goes back decades, expressed a firm stance that the film would lose its essence without Paresh Rawal’s beloved character — Baburao Ganpatrao Apte.
According to Suniel Shetty, the film might somehow proceed without either him or Akshay Kumar but doing it without Paresh Rawal would be entirely out of the question. He emphasised that Baburao’s interactions are crucial to the dynamic between the characters Raju and Shyam and without him, the core appeal of the film collapses.
Suniel Shetty recalled that he first learned about Paresh Rawal’s decision through his children — Athiya and Ahan Shetty who quickly forwarded him the news while he was busy with press interviews for his upcoming film Kesari Veer: Legends of Somnath.
He admitted to being blindsided by the announcement and expressed his sense of shock at receiving the update mid-promotion. The actor also expressed a desire to reach out to those involved and understand the reasons behind the abrupt development, underscoring that just like fans, he too had been looking forward to the iconic trio’s return.
Meanwhile, the situation surrounding Paresh Rawal’s exit has only grown more complicated with conflicting statements from the film’s creative team. Paresh Rawal claimed in a media interaction that he had personally informed Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and director Priyadarshan about his decision to step away from the film.
However, Priyadarshan has contradicted that claim, asserting that no such communication was received. He mentioned that Akshay had specifically asked him to confirm with both Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal before moving ahead with the project and at that time, both the actors had agreed to be part of it.
Adding another layer to the unfolding drama, Priyadarshan noted that Akshay might be considering legal action, given his financial investment in Hera Pheri 3. While the director himself claimed he had little to lose, he pointed out that Akshay’s monetary commitment could be driving his response to the situation.
Ironically, despite the current tension, Priyadarshan is simultaneously working with both Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal on a separate film titled Bhoot Bangla. This ongoing collaboration has left fans and industry insiders alike perplexed, as questions mount over what exactly went wrong behind the scenes of Hera Pheri 3.
