Akshay Kumar’s production house Cape Of Good Films, reportedly, has sent a legal notice to Paresh Rawal, seeking Rs 25 crore as damages after he left the shoot of Hera Phera 3 midway. After the news emerged on May 20, director-actors associated with the film have expressed their shock and talked about Paresh Rawal’s “unprofessionalism”.

Suniel Shetty, who played the character of Shyam in the 2000 hit film Hera Pheri, came to know about Paresh Rawal’s exit from his children, Athiya and Ahaan. Suniel, who was in Delhi to promote his latest film Kesari Veer, told India Today, “I have no clue about this. This is absolutely shocking. I first thought about texting him, and then I thought I’d meet him and would discuss it. I have had no word about it with anybody as to what happened.”

Akshay, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal had begun shooting for the film under veteran director Priyadarshan in April this year. Akshay had bought the rights for Hera Pheri 3 from producer Feroz Nadiadwala and he’s one of the producers of the film in question. 

Calling the situation a crisis, Suniel Shetty told India Today, “This is a crisis. We are in the middle of this film, and this is the biggest shock.”

“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***’,” Suniel  explained.

The buzz around Hera Pheri 3 has been in vogue for last two years. Suniel Shetty felt that as an actor it’s also an important film. “You know, this film is important for our mental health. I don’t know what’s going to happen,” he concluded.

Hera Pheri 3 is the sequel to the 2000 hit film Hera Pheri. The second instalment was released in 2006. Hera Pheri 3 was announced in 2023. Earlier this year, Priyadarshan was confirmed as the director of the film.