One of the most shocking and controversial developments in recent Bollywood history was Paresh Rawal’s exit from Hera Pheri 3, where he was to reprise his role of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte from Hera Pheri (2000) and Phir Hera Pheri (2006). The news even overshadowed the buzz around another high-profile sequel - Diljit Dosanjh walking out of No Entry 2. But Paresh Rawal’s departure from Hera Pheri 3 didn’t happen quietly. While earlier reports cited 'creative differences' as the reason for his exit, the actor later denied this on social media, although he remained tight-lipped about the actual cause. Paresh Rawal Quits ‘Hera Pheri 3’: Actor Leaves Comedy Sequel Co-Starring Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty Over ‘Creative Differences’ – Reports.

That hasn’t stopped certain mischievous social media accounts from concocting their own wild theories. One such X handle exploited Rawal’s known affinity for right-wing politics and his history of Islamophobic posts, claiming that he left Hera Pheri 3 because the film’s crew was predominantly Muslim.

X Post With False News on Paresh Rawal's Exit

X Post on Paresh Rawal

What these users seem to overlook is that Hera Pheri 3 also stars Akshay Kumar - who is co-producing the film - and Suniel Shetty. Both actors, along with director Priyadarshan, have shown support for right-wing ideologies in the past. This weakens the credibility of any communal motive being attributed solely to Rawal.

The Real Reason Why Paresh Rawal Exited 'Hera Pheri 3'

Paresh Rawal has given a few interviews since his departure, but has still not disclosed the real reason behind his decision. In an interview with Mid-Day, when asked if he was unhappy with the remuneration offered, he responded:

"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."

Paresh Rawal's Post on His 'Hera Pheri 3' Exit

In an earlier interview with Lallantop, in which he also made the now-infamous remark about drinking urine, Paresh Rawal had expressed a lack of enthusiasm for returning to the franchise. He admitted he was only doing Hera Pheri 3 to avoid the film being shelved. He had said, "Everybody wants to cash in on sequels, but do something different with the character that has INR 500 crore worth of goodwill. Why not fly with it? But there’s mental bankruptcy or mental lethargy. I’m doing the sequel because I don’t want the film to get stuck, but there is no happiness."

Interestingly, based on interviews with the rest of the cast and crew, it appears that they were caught off guard by his decision. They claim they only found out about his exit through the media, although Rawal insists he informed them in advance. When India Today asked Suniel Shetty about the situation, he said:

"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 discuss it. I have had no word about it with anybody. Even Akshay is clueless as to what happened." ‘Hera Pheri 3’: Akshay Kumar Sues Paresh Rawal for Quitting Third Instalment of Their Iconic Comedy Franchise, Claims INR 25 Crore in Damages – Reports.

Similarly, when Hindustan Times contacted director Priyadarshan regarding Rawal’s exit, he stated, "I don't know why this happened because Paresh didn't inform us. Before starting the film, Akshay asked me to check with both Paresh and Suniel, and I did - and both were on board."

Ironically, Rawal had recently wrapped up filming for Bhooth Bangla, a horror-comedy directed by Priyadarshan and starring Akshay Kumar in the lead role. What's more, Paresh Rawal has to work with both Akshay and Suniel Shetty for Welcome to the Jungle, whose shoot is only 70% complete. According to the latest media reports, Akshay Kumar’s production house, Cape of Good Films, has now filed a legal suit against Paresh Rawal, seeking INR 25 crore in damages.

The controversy has undoubtedly taken an uglier turn, but attributing his exit solely to communal bias is not only unfounded - it’s in extremely poor taste.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 21, 2025 03:20 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).