In a twist to the ongoing Hera Pheri 3 controversy, veteran Bollywood actor Paresh Rawal confirmed his return to the iconic role of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte after resolving differences with co-stars Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty.
The trio reportedly met recently to iron out their issues, marking the end of a turbulent chapter that saw Rawal stepping away from the film in May 2025. Veteran director Priyadarshan, who shares a long-standing relationship with Rawal, confirmed the development to Mid-Day.
"Both Akshay and Paresh called to say that everything is sorted. I was in shock when Paresh said, 'Sir, I’m doing the movie'. He added, 'I have never had anything except a lot of respect for you. I’ve done 26 movies with you, and I’m sorry to have left the film. There were some personal issues.' He said that Akshay, Suniel, and he met cordially and sorted it out," an insider informed the news publication.
Reportedly, the reconciliation began on May 30, Rawal's birthday, when Akshay reached out to him over phone call.
"Paresh’s stance initially softened when Akshay defended him at the Housefull 5 trailer launch, where a journalist called the senior actor 'foolish' for leaving Hera Pheri 3. Then on Paresh’s birthday, Akshay called to wish him. The superstar told him that while movies will come and go, their friendship should withstand the test of time as they go back a long way. After that, the two met along with Suniel," the insider further revealed.
Priyadarshan also dismissed rumours that filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala and director Ahmed Khan played a part in the patch-up.
Hera Pheri 3 controversy
The update comes after Rawal had publicly announced his exit from the much-anticipated third installment in May 2025, sending fans into a frenzy.
The situation escalated when reports claimed that Akshay, who is also co-producing the film, sued Rawal for Rs 25 crore in damages. Later, another report stated that Rawal had returned the Rs 11 lakh signing amount with 15 per cent interest as compensation.
