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Days after Paresh Rawal exited Hera Pheri 3, his co-star Akshay Kumar on Tuesday addressed the issue for the first time at the trailer launch event of his upcoming comedy drama, Housefull 5. Speaking about the development, Akshay called it a serious matter. While acknowledging the gravity of the issue, he also voiced his disappointment at people calling his co-star ‘foolish’ for stepping away from the project. “I won’t appreciate this,” the Khiladi star remarked
Hera Pheri 3 became the center of attention after reports surfaced online claiming that Akshay Kumar had sent a legal notice to Paresh Rawal. Some reports suggested Rawal walked out of the film due to creative differences with director Priyadarshan, while others speculated that he was dissatisfied with his remuneration. Later, in a post on X, Paresh confirmed his exit but clarified, “I wish to put it on record that my decision to step away from Hera Pheri 3 was not due to creative differences.” His statement sparked a wave of reactions—some fans urged him to reconsider, while others criticized him for leaving the project midway.
On Tuesday, at the trailer launch event of Housefull 5, when a reporter shared how public thinks Paresh Rawal is ‘foolish’ to be leaving Hera Pheri 3, Akshay Kumar immediately stopped the reporter and said, “Let me first tell you that using a word like ‘foolish’ for my co-star is something I won’t appreciate.” He added, “It is not right. I have worked with him for the last 32 years. We are very good friends. He is a great actor. I really admire him.”
Speaking about the controversy, Akshay shared, “Jo bhi kuch hai I don’t think this is a place where I will talk about it because it is a very serious matter. It is a matter which is going to be handled by the court so I don’t think I am going to speak about it here.”
Previously, Paresh Rawal had taken to his X to share the problem was not with the director, hinting at a rift with Akshay Kumar, who bought the rights to the film from Feroz Nadiadwala. In his first post, Paresh 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 FILM MAKER . I hold immense love, respect, and faith in Mr. Priyadarshan the film director.”
In another X post, the actor wrote, “My lawyer, Ameet Naik, has sent an appropriate response regarding my rightful termination and exit. Once they read my response all issues will be laid to rest.”
According to Times Now, Paresh Rawal’s legal representatives claimed that Akshay Kumar failed to provide a complete screenplay as well as long-form agreement, which are critical for finalising the actor’s commitment.
Akshay has reportedly sued Rawal for Rs 25 crore in damages. According to the actor’s team, they had already paid Rs 11 lakh to Paresh as an advance and had filmed a promo.
Soon after, Paresh’s team claimed that the veteran actor had returned his signing amount along with 15% interest.
According to Bollywood Hungama, Paresh Rawal was signed for a fees of Rs 15 crore for Hera Pheri 3. He was promised Rs 14.89 crore a month after the film’s release–sometime in 2026-2027. Reportedly, the prolonged delay in payment was also one of the reasons for Paresh to exit the project.
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