Akshay Kumar Says Paresh Rawal’s Hera Pheri 3 Exit Is a Legal Matter, Slams Journalist for Calling Him ‘Foolish’

Bollywood fans were left stunned when veteran actor Paresh Rawal announced his decision to walk away from Hera Pheri 3, a film that was expected to reunite the beloved trio of Rawal, Akshay Kumar, and Suniel Shetty under director Priyadarshan. The news also took Shetty and Priyadarshan by surprise, both expressing their disappointment over Rawal’s sudden exit.

Now, Akshay Kumar has finally broken his silence on the matter. Speaking during the trailer launch of Housefull 5, Akshay responded to a question about people calling Paresh “foolish” for leaving the project.

“I don’t appreciate that kind of language,” Akshay said firmly. “Calling my co-star foolish is not right. We’ve worked together for over 35 years, we’re very good friends, and he’s a brilliant actor whom I respect a lot. Whatever the situation is, I don’t think this is the right place to talk about it. It’s a serious matter and it’s being dealt with legally, so I’d rather not comment further.”

While early reports claimed Paresh Rawal exited due to creative differences, the actor clarified in an interview with Mid-Day that his reasons were more personal. “I know it came as a shock to many. The three of us have a great chemistry, especially under Priyadarshanji’s direction. But honestly, I just don’t feel like I’m a part of it anymore. For now, the decision is final. That said, I always believe in never saying never—anything can happen in the future.”

The situation escalated when rumours surfaced that Akshay Kumar had filed a ₹25 crore lawsuit against Rawal for damages caused by his sudden departure. Director Priyadarshan reportedly supported Akshay’s move, saying that Paresh had not informed anyone on the team before backing out.

Responding to the legal speculation, Paresh Rawal took to X (formerly Twitter), stating: “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.”

In the meantime, Akshay Kumar is focused on promoting Housefull 5, a star-studded comedy featuring Abhishek Bachchan, Nana Patekar, Riteish Deshmukh, Jacqueline Fernandez, Sanjay Dutt, Jackie Shroff, Fardeen Khan, Sonam Bajwa, and Nargis Fakhri. Directed by Tarun Mansukhani, the film is set to hit theatres on June 6.