The Hera Pheri 3 controversy has taken a fresh new turn, and it’s different from what was originally anticipated. The legal fallout that happened after Paresh Rawal’s abrupt exit from the highly anticipated film allegedly incurred significant financial losses to the franchise. His co-star, Akshay Kumar, whose production banner was involved in this project, sued his Oh My God co-star with a Rs. 25 crore notice, citing the damages that his exit has caused. However, contrary to earlier reports, new developments state that Akshay did not initiate the legal action.
Akshay Kumar wasn’t the first to initiate legal action against Paresh Rawal
The new developments surrounding the legal fallout between Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal reveal a different story. According to insider information reported by News18, the Sky Force actor did not initiate legal action against his long-time co-star. Instead, the legal response came only after Paresh Rawal walked out of Hera Pheri 3. The insider said:
“Akshay didn’t initiate anything. Paresh acted first, and Akshay only responded after Paresh abruptly exited the project.”
What triggered the fallout?
The insiders told News18 that Akshay had bought the complete rights to the Hera Pheri franchise from original producer, Firoz Nadiadwala, for a whopping Rs. 10 crore, only after Rawal had committed to reprise his iconic role as ‘Baburao Ganpatrao Apte’. The veteran actor had also recently worked with Akshay on Bhoot Bungalow, and everything seemed on track. Akshay even reportedly offered Rawal three times his standard pay, which the latter accepted, but he still left the project. The source was quoted as saying:
“He had said yes. He had also recently wrapped up Bhoot Bungalow with Akshay. Everything was moving smoothly until 15–20 days ago… Akshay even agreed to pay him three times his regular remuneration. And that was finalised. Still, Rawal suddenly backed out.”
According to Bollywood Hungama, Paresh Rawal’s total fee was set at Rs. 15 crore, with a clause stating that the remaining Rs. 14.89 crore would be paid a month after the film’s release, which might not happen until 2026 or later. He was allegedly not keen on waiting that long.
Previously, Akshay Kumar’s production house, Cape of Good Films, filed a Rs. 25 crore lawsuit against Paresh Rawal, alleging he took Rs. 11 lakh as an advance and shot initial scenes before abruptly exiting. His sudden exit allegedly resulted in significant financial losses. Paresh Rawal’s legal team told IANS that he hadn’t received the story, screenplay, or a long-form agreement, which prompted his decision to withdraw.
What Akshay Kumar said about Paresh Rawal’s exit from Hera Pheri 3
Earlier this week, during the trailer launch event of his upcoming film, Housefull 5, Akshay Kumar broke his silence on his ongoing legal dispute with Paresh Rawal after his sudden exit from Hera Pheri 3. Akshay shared the screen with Rawal multiple times and remains good friends with the veteran actor. Speaking about their camaraderie for 32 years, Akshay addressed the matter and said:
“Firstly, I’d like to tell you that using such kind of word for my co-star, ‘foolish’, is something I’d not appreciate. That’s not right. I have been working with him for the last 32 years. We are very good friends. He’s a great actor. I really admire him. I don’t think this is a place where I am going to talk about it because…it’s a very serious matter… which is going to be handled by the courts. Hence, I don’t think I am going to speak about it here.”
What do you think about the legal fallout between Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal?
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