Paresh Rawal sued for ₹25 crore after walking out of Hera Pheri 3?

Paresh Rawal's shocking departure from Hera Pheri 3 has cast doubt on the fate of the much-anticipated film, shocking the Hindi cinema industry. Fans and the veteran actor's co-stars Suniel Shetty and Akshay Kumar, who played Shyam and Raju, respectively, in the cult series, are astonished by the move.

Rumours of creative differences dismissed by Paresh Rawal

According to the initial rumours, Rawal's abrupt departure was due to artistic disputes. But the actor himself denied the allegations on social media. On X (formerly Twitter), he clarified that they did not have creative differences when he decided to leave "Hera Pheri 3". He also assures the fans of the franchise that he has deep admiration and trust in film director Priyadarshan.

Fans thought it was a joke at first, but now it's official: Rawal will not be returning as Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in the upcoming third instalment of the comedy series.

Legal troubles for Paresh Rawal

The film's producers, Cape of Good Films, have allegedly served the actor with a legal notice seeking damages of Rs 25 crore, as reported by Pinkvilla. The notification allegedly mentions the logistical and financial difficulties caused by Rawal's sudden departure from the project after agreeing to star in it and filming scenes for it.

A source disclosed to the entertainment portal that Cape of Good Films had cleared all the obligations existing on the film and had bought the rights of Hera Pheri 3 from several stakeholders. The goal was to bring the film back on the big screen after a 20-year hiatus, and the budget was set in crores. The source also revealed that Rawal's lack of professionalism has significantly impacted the film. Bollywood is now following Hollywood's example and is no longer accommodating performers' demands. The source went on to reveal that today, they have contracts to prevent this kind of thing from happening, and when actors cancel at the last minute, it's a huge problem.

The source revealed that Rawal, Kumar, and Shetty only confirmed their involvement before deciding to proceed with the project. Cape of Good Films invested all the money needed to develop a debt-free product, but it was contingent upon the original trio agreeing to star in the third Hera Pheri film. They also revealed that the crew regrouped to film an incredibly hilarious announcement video, and filming for Hera Pheri 3 also began. However, Rawal has abruptly chosen to step aside, putting an end to the one-day filming and the associated financial expenditure. The source called it an inappropriate and unprofessional act. After Rawal explained his departure to the crew, they were all sad and outraged.

The source went on to ask, "Why should a producer suffer due to an unprofessional exit of another actor? He has to pay for the losses caused by the sudden exit."

Paresh Rawal allegedly paid more than market value and signed contract

It has also surfaced that Rawal received a signing sum and signed a contract. Despite their initial reluctance, they have now been compelled to send a formal notice requesting damages due to an act of withdrawing. To be a part of the film, the veteran actor took a signing bonus and signed a contract. In addition to paying him significantly more than the market worth, the producers complied with all of his demands.

The source stated, "He has been a part of all the core meetings taking Hera Pheri 3, and the intent is to take action as he has backed out after committing to the film and even shooting for it."

Akshay Kumar and Priyadarshan still committed to the project

Reportedly, Kumar was instrumental in bringing the film back to life and resolving production-related issues. Priyadarshan is still involved, and news about the project's future is likely to emerge soon.

Fans and the crew working on Hera Pheri 3 are dealing with some unforeseen problems after Rawal's departure, although the sequel is much anticipated in Bollywood.