Hera Pheri 3 row deepens as Priyadarshan says he is ‘not aware’ of Paresh Rawal’s exit

For years now, Hera Pheri 3 has existed in a strange state between nostalgia, chaos and endless uncertainty. Every few months, the cult comedy resurfaces in headlines, unfortunately not with a teaser or release update, but with another twist involving lawsuits, exits, rights disputes or behind-the-scenes drama.

And now, the franchise is once again back in turbulent territory. Fresh reports recently claimed that Paresh Rawal has exited Hera Pheri 3 and even returned his signing amount of Rs 11 lakh along with 15 per cent interest. While the actor has not publicly addressed the speculation yet, the development has reignited questions around whether the long-delayed sequel will ever truly make it to screens.

Adding to the uncertainty is director Priyadarshan’s own reaction to the reports. Speaking to ETimes about Rawal's future in the film, the filmmaker, who is attached to direct the third instalment, simply said, “I am not aware.”

This is not the first time rumours around Rawal stepping away from the project have surfaced. Back in 2025, reports suggested that Akshay Kumar, who not only stars in the film but is also producing it, had filed a Rs 25 crore lawsuit against Rawal after the actor abruptly exited the project. The matter was eventually resolved, with Rawal returning to the film later.

Priyadarshan had told Pinkvilla, "Me and Paresh never had an issue. Even to the best of my knowledge, Akshay and Paresh never had any issues. There are some other forces, bad forces, who were pressurising Paresh… but our relationship has never been affected.”

He further added that Akshay Kumar himself chose to remain calm amid the chaos: “Akshay told me, ‘Prince sir, if it happens, let it happen. Otherwise, let’s forget it.’ That’s all. There are other bad forces which created a lot of issues. It is not worth talking about them.”

The trio also reunited professionally for Bhooth Bangla, directed by Priyadarshan and starring Akshay alongside Paresh.

But even with the iconic cast,Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal and Suniel Shetty, still publicly associated with the franchise, the film itself appears stuck in limbo.

Earlier this year, Akshay himself admitted that Hera Pheri 3 is currently not moving ahead. Speaking to journalist Subhankar Mishra on YouTube, the actor revealed just how uncertain the project’s future remains. Akshay explained that the film is not happening at the moment due to several unresolved issues and agreements, clarifying that the delays are not because of friction between the three lead actors.

Behind the scenes, however, the franchise has been entangled in legal complications for years. Production house Seven Arts International had filed a case against the makers, arguing that producer Sajid Nadiadwala only possessed the rights to remake one film, the Hindi adaptation of the Malayalam classic Ramji Rao Speaking (1989).

That adaptation became the original Hera Pheri in 2000. But according to Seven Arts, the agreement was allegedly violated when the sequel Phir Hera Pheri was made in 2006, and later when the rights were transferred to Akshay Kumar’s production banner, Cape of Good Films.

For now, Hera Pheri 3 is trapped between fan anticipation and unfinished business, a sequel everyone wants, but one that somehow keeps slipping further away every time it seems close to finally happening.