Paresh Rawal confirms he is not a part of Hera Pheri 3 anymore; fans say, ‘Can’t have Hera Pheri without Babu bhaiya’

Paresh Rawal played the role of Babu Rao in both Hera Pheri (2000) and Phir Hera Pheri (2006), and the character received a lot of love and appreciation from the fans.

By: Entertainment Desk

New Delhi | May 16, 2025 05:08 PM IST

3 min read

Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Suniel Shetty met and resolved the issues around Hera Pheri 3, says Priyadarshan.

The Hera Pheri movie series is one of the most well-known Indian films from the comedy genre, and the trio of Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal ended up working better than anyone could have ever expected. In 2022, an announcement was made that the third instalment was in the works and all three actors were on board, but according to recent reports Paresh Rawal has decided to sever his ties with the film, an announcement which has caused quite a stir among fans.

Media publication Bollywood Hungama asked the actor about whether he is leaving the film, and Rawal responded in the affirmative and said, “Yes, it’s a fact.” Among legal issues, scheduling problems and casting troubles, this is probably the biggest hurdle the movie is facing right now. Paresh’s character of Babu Rao made a sizable impact on the minds of the fans and served as a bridge between the fearful Shyam (Suniel Shetty) and the comically manipulative Raju (Akshay Kumar).

ALSO READ: Tabu teases reunion with Priyadarshan in Hera Pheri 3: ‘The cast won’t be complete without me’

The same publication mentioned the reason behind Rawal’s decision and reported that, “There were creative differences between the makers and Paresh Rawal. As a result, the actor decided to step down from the film.” Earlier Akshay Kumar had also quit the film due to similar issues, but the Baby actor seemed to land on the same page as the makers and returned. When Akshay confirmed his return to the film, director Anees Bazmee expressed his surprise over the actor’s decision and stated the reason for declining to direct the film. He told Bollywood Hungama, “I met the producer Firoz Nadiadwala several times. He didn’t have much of a story, let alone a script. Unhone jo mujhe idea bataya woh kuch jammee nahi (the idea he threw at me didn’t gel with me). Maina na keh diya (I said no).”

No matter how loved Rawal’s role as Babu Rao is, the actor has talked about his reservations regarding it in the past as well and has admitted that the role typecast him in the industry. While speaking to Lallantop, the actor said, “My Hera Pheri role is a gale ka fanda. I went to Vishal Bhardwaj in 2007 after in 2006 Phir Hera Pheri released. I told him, ‘I want a release from the image that has been set by this film.” The actor even mentioned that he went to director R. Balki with the same request and told him that ‘the role of Babu Rao suffocates him.’

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