Hera Pheri Controversy: The future of Hera Pheri 3, one of Bollywood’s most awaited comedy sequels, hangs in the balance after the franchise veteran announced his exit. While initial reports suggested creative differences with the makers, Rawal recently clarified that his reasons were entirely different, though he chose not to elaborate further.
Reacting to the unexpected development, Suniel Shetty, who plays Shyam in the franchise, opened up in an interview and voiced what many fans have been thinking: Hera Pheri simply doesn’t work without its core trio.
“If it was Hera Pheri, if it wasn’t Babu Bhai (Paresh Rawal) and Raju (Akshay Kumar), Shyam (Suniel Shetty) wouldn’t exist, and Shyam has no meaning. And you take any one of them out, and the film doesn’t work.” – (Shetty)
He added that the magic of the Hera Pheri films lies in the chemistry and banter between the three main characters — Raju (Akshay Kumar), Shyam (Suniel Shetty), and the iconic Baburao Ganpatrao Apte aka Babu Bhaiya, played by Paresh Rawal. It’s this unique trio that has made the franchise a cult classic and a meme goldmine over the years.
Shetty’s Take on Multi-Starrers and Meaningful Roles
Suniel Shetty also spoke more broadly about his love for multi-starrer films like Border and Hera Pheri, stressing that it’s the depth of the role, not the screen time, that drives his choices. Referring to his upcoming project, Kesari Veer, Shetty said:
“I guess it’s always the role, it’s the character… How often do such characters come to you? Very rare.” – (Shetty)
“Even if it’s just two scenes with that kind of depth, I wouldn’t bat an eyelid. I’d want to do it.” – (Shetty)
Fans Demand Cancellation or Recasting
Following Rawal’s exit, fans have flooded social media with demands to postpone or even cancel Hera Pheri 3, expressing disappointment at the prospect of continuing the beloved series without its most iconic character.
Whether the makers will reconsider their approach or find a way to bring Rawal back remains to be seen. But as Shetty put it, without Baburao, “the film doesn’t work.”
ALSO READ: Paresh Rawal Exits Hera Pheri 3 Citing Creative Differences
