Suniel Shetty shocked after Paresh Rawal’s exit from Hera Pheri 3

After veteran Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal confirmed his exit from Hera Pheri 3 with Mid-Day, his co-actor from the franchise, Suniel Shetty, stated that he was shocked to learn the same. Suniel mentioned that he got to know about Paresh walking away from the film through his kids Athiya and Ahaan Shetty. 

Suniel Shetty on Paresh Rawal’s exit from Hera Pheri 3

Suniel told India Today, “We were going to begin shooting next year. We had already started, in fact. We shot a promo. It`s a big thing. This is so shocking. I can`t make sense of this. And you know who sent it? Athiya and Ahaan – they both sent it to me within 15 minutes, asking `Papa, what is this?`. And I was here doing my interviews, and I felt like `holy s***`.”

Akshay Kumar sues Paresh Rawal

Hindustan Times reported that Akshay Kumar, through his production house Cape of Good Films, has sent a legal notice to Paresh Rawal claiming damages of Rs 25 crore over his unprofessional behaviour and for leaving the film midway after signing a legal contract and commencing the shoot. 

Paresh Rawal on leaving the third installment 

Paresh Rawal told Mid-day, “Priyadarshan ji tried to change my mind but he knows [me]. They all know that if I decide on something, I will follow it up. So they don’t pursue further.”

There is also conjecture that Rawal was not content with his remuneration. But the actor says that was never the issue. “No amount of money compares to the love and respect of my audience. Right now, I just felt that it is a role I don’t want to do, that’s all,” he reiterated.

About Hera Pheri 3

Hera Pheri 3 is the third installment in the popular franchise. Paresh Rawal portrayed the unforgettable Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in the Hera Pheri series, a character that became hugely popular. The original film, released in 2000 and directed by Priyadarshan, featured a stellar cast including Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal. The plot centers around three struggling men who accidentally become involved in a kidnapping scheme. The follow-up film, Phir Hera Pheri, was released in 2006 and was directed by Neeraj Vora. The third installment will star Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty reprising their roles.

This article first appeared on Mid Day