Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal return in first viral pic from Hera Pheri 3 shoot; fans say 'OG trio is back'

Days after news emerged that Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, and Suniel Shetty had begun shooting for Hera Pheri 3, a viral pic claimed to be from the film’s sets has now emerged. Sources tell us that the picture is from a promo for the film that the three actors shot, confirming that they are indeed back in the popular franchise.

The picture, being widely shared on Twitter and Instagram on Wednesday, shows Paresh Rawal in his familiar Baburao garb with a white shirt and dhoti, while Akshay Kumar is seen in his iconic white printed shirt that has become a meme over the years. Suniel Shetty, dressed in his character Shyam’s signature dark shirt is also visible. The actors are flanked by other members of the crew in the pic, supposedly taken after the shoot.

Reacting to the picture, one fan wrote, “It’s finally happening. The OG trio is back!” Another tweeted, “This will be the best comedy in the history of Bollywood.” Many fans said they had waited for years to see the three actors reprise their roles. “After so long years, Baburao, Shyam, and Raju are back. I am so happy,” read a tweet.

The trio is back #HeraPheri3 pic.twitter.com/gJcH1jpTYI

— Sachin (@sachin__rtt) February 22, 2023

While the shoot for the film will only begin in the second half of 2023 as per reports, the three actors shot a promo on Tuesday, which will be posted online to announce the film. As per reports, Farhad Samji has been roped in to direct the comedy and the rest of the cast and crew is being finalised now. There has been no official word from the makers of the film though.

The original Hera Pheri, released in 2000, was directed by Priyadarshan. The cult classic comedy starred Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal and Tabu, and was a hit at the box office. Its 2006 sequel – Phir Hera Pheri – was directed by Neeraj Vora, and saw the addition of Bipasha Basu and Rimi Sen to the cast while Tabu did not return. The third part was originally floated years ago with Vora returning to direct but was shelved soon. After Vora’s untimely death, the film had been in limbo till last year.

For a brief time, Akshay withdrew from the project and reports suggested Kartik Aaryan was to replace him. However, earlier this month, Akshay met his co-stars and producer Firoz Nadiadwala and came back on board.