‘Hera Pheri 3’: Will Pankaj Tripathi Replace Paresh Rawal As Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in Akshay Kumar-Priyadarshan’s Iconic Comedy Franchise? ‘Criminal Justice’ Actor Reacts (Watch Video)
Amid the controversy surrounding the dramatic exit of Paresh Rawal from 'Hera Pheri 3', Pankaj Tripathi, in a recent interview has reacted to the rumours of replacing the actor in the upcoming instalment of the iconic comedy franchise. The movie also stars Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty in lead roles.
Hera Pheri, one of Bollywood's most loved comedy franchises, was gearing up for its third instalment, marking the return of the iconic trio Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Suniel Shetty. Filmmaker Priyadarshan, who helmed the first part of the film in 2000, was finalised to direct the upcoming instalment. However, fans were left heartbroken after Paresh Rawal announced that he has quit Hera Pheri 3. His sudden decision shocked not only fans but also the lead actors and the director, who claimed to be uninformed about it. Following this, Akshay Kumar, who was also producing the film, sent a legal notice to Paresh Rawal demanding INR 25 crore in damages after his sudden exit. Amid this, speculations about Pankaj Tripathi stepping into Paresh Rawal's iconic role of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte have been doing the rounds online. In a recent interview, the Mirzapur actor reacted to these speculations. Paresh Rawal Quits ‘Hera Pheri 3’: Actor Leaves Comedy Sequel Co-Starring Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty Over ‘Creative Differences’ – Reports.
Pankaj Tripathi To Play Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in ‘Hera Pheri 3’?
Amid the news of Paresh Rawal's exit from Hera Pheri 3, fans of Pankaj Tripathi speculated the possibility of him replacing the actor in the comedy film. In a recent conversation with Bollywood Hungama, Pankaj Tripathi reacted to this gossip. He said, "Maine bhi padha hua hai ye. Mera manna hai ki Paresh ji kamaal ke aur adbhut abhineta hai. Unke saamne to mai zero hoon. Bada samman karta hoon unka Mujhe nahi lagta mai upyukt vyakti hoon." (I've read and heard about what fans are saying. I believe that Paresh Rawal is a phenomenal actor. I am a zero in front of him. I respect him a lot, but I don't think I'm worthy of replacing him).
Pankaj Tripathi on Rumours of Replacing Paresh Rawal in ‘Hera Pheri 3’
After announcing his exit from Hera Pheri 3, Paresh Rawal denied any fallout with Priyadarshan and clarified that creative differences were not the reason behind his exit. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), the actor wrote, "I wish to put it on record that my decision to step away from Hera Pheri 3 was not due to creative differences. I reiterate that there are no creative disagreement with the filmmaker. I hold immense love, respect, and faith in Mr Priyadarshan the film director." ‘Hera Pheri 3’ Controversy: Did Paresh Rawal Receive INR 11 Lakh and Shoot for Akshay Kumar-Priyadarshan Film’s Teaser Before Sudden Exit?.
According to Akshay Kumar's legal team, Paresh Rawal had received a partial payment of INR 11 lakh and had also commenced filming for the film. Their statement stated that the Hera Pheri 3 teaser shoot commenced on April 3, 2025, with over three minutes of footage shot with Paresh Rawal. On the work front, Paresh Rawal next had Priyadarshan's Bhooth Bangla. Meanwhile, Pankaj Tripathi's Criminal Justice: A Family Matter premiered on JioHotstar on May 22, 2025.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on May 23, 2025 09:38 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).