‘Akshay Kumar must’ve been emotionally disturbed’: Paresh Rawal on Hera Pheri 3 dispute and Rs 25 crore legal notice

For a film about three men who can barely keep their lives together, Hera Pheri 3 has developed a remarkably complicated life of its own.

The proposed third instalment has been caught in legal disputes, contractual questions, changing allegiances and now the exit of its director. But one of the biggest twists came last year, when Paresh Rawal announced that he was walking away from the project.

The decision triggered a legal battle with Akshay Kumar, who is also producing Hera Pheri 3. Kumar sent Rawal a legal notice seeking Rs 25 crore in damages, alleging breach of contract and sabotage of the film. After months of developments and reversals, Rawal eventually changed his mind and agreed to return.

Now, the veteran actor has explained what led him to leave in the first place, and insisted that the dispute had nothing to do with Akshay personally.

Speaking to Vickey Lalwani, Rawal said his hesitation was rooted in a contractual issue involving the franchise rights.

“No, it wasn’t about, ‘I’m uncomfortable working with Akshay Kumar.’ It was a contractual obligation. If I were to do the film, I needed the approval of Firoz (Nadiadwala, producer) because he is the sole owner of the Hera Pheri franchise. And also of other films like Awara Paagal Deewana, Welcome, and all of that. Until I had his approval, I simply couldn’t commit.”

Rawal said the legal notice that followed left him frustrated at finding himself pulled into a dispute he had not wanted to be part of.

“When the legal notice came, I thought, ‘Why am I getting dragged into legal issues? Am I here to enjoy making a film or to get caught up in this?’ I told myself I didn’t want to be a part of it anymore.”

The actor also offered his own interpretation of why Akshay decided to take legal action, suggesting that the move may have been driven more by emotion than strategy.

“I genuinely believe the legal notice was an emotional reaction. It was probably a case of, ‘How could he say no to me?’ He must have been emotionally disturbed.”

Rawal was also asked why Firoz A Nadiadwala’s approval had not come through. He maintained that the matter was between Nadiadwala and Akshay and that he had deliberately stayed out of it.

“As for why Firoz’s approval never came, that was something between Akshay and Firoz. I never dug deeper into it.”

He added, “There has never been any reason for Akshay and me to have a fallout. None at all.”

Despite the long-running uncertainty around Hera Pheri 3, Rawal said his commitment to the franchise has not changed.

“Whenever Hera Pheri actually happens, I’ll do it. I’m married to that film. Whenever they make it, I’ll be there.”

As for whether he and Akshay ever formally sat down to discuss the legal dispute — or whether the superstar apologised for sending the notice — Rawal suggested that the issue was resolved without a dramatic heart-to-heart.

“We never really sat down and discussed it, but we worked together afterwards. Sometimes you don’t even need to say the words. That’s the gentlemanly way of resolving things.”

The film's future, however, remains uncertain.

Hera Pheri 3 continues to face questions over the ownership of the franchise rights and other legal disputes. The project has also now lost Priyadarshan, who recently confirmed that he is no longer associated with the proposed third film.

Earlier this year, the filmmaker had expressed hope that the film would eventually be made, even if it did not arrive in 2026. He has since confirmed that he has stepped away from the project altogether.

Producer Firoz A Nadiadwala was the first to announce Priyadarshan’s exit, after which the filmmaker confirmed the development himself.

“What Firoz has said is true. I am not associated with Hera Pheri 3 at present. To the best of my knowledge, Hera Pheri 3 will never hit the screens due to lots of legal issues and personal conflicts. Whether I am involved or not is unimportant,” he told Hindustan Times.