Mumbai: Veteran actor Paresh Rawal has officially confirmed his return to Hera Pheri 3, putting an end to recent controversy surrounding his exit from the franchise. The actor made the announcement during a podcast with Himanshu Mehta, where he clarified that the matter has now been resolved.
The film hit headlines in May when Rawal revealed on social media that he was stepping away from the project. Two days later, Akshay Kumar’s production company, which owns the rights to the film, filed a ₹25 crore lawsuit against Rawal, accusing him of sabotaging the shoot. Following the legal row, Rawal returned ₹11 lakh—originally paid to him—along with 15% interest.
Addressing the controversy, Rawal dismissed any ongoing dispute. “There’s no controversy. When people love something so deeply, we must be extra careful. We owe it to the audience. Mehnat karke unko film do (Work hard and deliver the film to them),” he said.
He further added that he wanted all key cast members to collaborate with sincerity. “Sab saath mein aaye, mehnat karein. Aur kuch nahin. It is all resolved now.”
When asked if the original cast is indeed reuniting, Rawal confirmed with a laugh, “It was always going to happen—we just needed some fine-tuning. After all, Priyadarshan, Akshay, and Suniel are all creative and have been friends for years.”
Earlier, Rawal had denied reports of creative differences with director Priyadarshan, stating in a May 18 post on X, “My decision to step away was not due to creative differences. I hold immense love, respect, and faith in Mr Priyadarshan.”
With the air cleared, fans can now expect the iconic trio—Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal—to reunite for the much-awaited third installment of Hera Pheri.