Akshay Kumar to sue Paresh Rawal for exiting Hera Pheri 3, sends legal notice claiming Rs...: Report

In a surprising turn, Akshay Kumar’s production house, Cape of Good Films, has reportedly sent a legal notice to Paresh Rawal demanding ₹25 crores in damages for allegedly backing out of Hera Pheri 3 after signing a contract and beginning the shoot.

Paresh Rawal recently confirmed through the media that he is stepping away from Hera Pheri 3. While he didn’t give a clear reason, sources say he simply didn’t feel like being part of the film at this time, leaving fans of the beloved franchise disappointed.

Interestingly, Hera Pheri 3 began shooting in April this year with Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal under director Priyadarshan. Akshay is also producing the film, having legally acquired the rights from Feroz Nadiadwala.

Paresh Rawal clarified that his exit from Hera Pheri 3 wasn't due to creative differences or money issues. According to Hindustan Times, , sources say he was being paid over three times his usual fee for the film. As per portal source, “Paresh displayed a blatant disregard for professional integrity or commercial morality. If he wanted to not do the film, he should have said so before signing the legal contract, accepting the signing amount and making the producer spend so much money on the shoot."

Source added, “It is high time Bollywood actors realise that like Hollywood, producers here too will no longer give in to the whims of an actor walking in and out of a film as he pleases."

Notably, this is the first time in Akshay Kumar’s 35-year career that he has taken legal action against a fellow actor for unprofessional conduct.

Paresh Rawal, meanwhile, has a history of walking out of films. In 2023, he opted out of Oh My God 2, citing issues with the script. Back in 2009, he reportedly exited Billu Barber, a film produced by Shah Rukh Khan and directed by Priyadarshan, after initially agreeing to do it.

The source further added, “Paresh himself announced doing the film on his X handle in January, he participated in all pre-production planning, shot for a day (including the teaser promo) willingly. When he never expressed dissatisfaction at any point, for him to now suddenly play with the emotions of the fans of this franchise and inflict losses on the producer is clearly in bad faith.”