Veteran actor Paresh Rawal has spoken about the legal notice worth ₹25 crore sent to him by his ‘Hera Pheri’ co-star, Akshay Kumar. This notice was issued after Rawal announced last year that he would not be part of ‘Hera Pheri 3’. The actor stated that his decision to leave the film was not linked to any personal issue with Akshay; the dispute arose from a contractual matter, and Akshay’s decision to sue him was an emotional reaction.
Paresh Rawal clarified that his decision to step away from the project had nothing to do with feeling uncomfortable working with Akshay. He explained, “It wasn’t a case of me feeling uncomfortable working with Akshay Kumar; it was a contractual issue. If I were to do the film, I needed Firoz Nadiadwala’s approval, as he is the sole owner of the ‘Hera Pheri’ franchise as well as films like ‘Awara Paagal Deewana’, ‘Welcome’, and others. I couldn’t make any commitment until I received his approval.”
He added, “When the legal notice arrived, I wondered, ‘Why am I being dragged into legal matters? Did I come here to enjoy making a film or to get entangled in this?’ I told myself I didn’t want to be a part of it anymore.” Despite the long-standing uncertainty surrounding the film, Paresh affirmed that whenever the project takes off, he will certainly work on it, regardless of who directs or produces it.
“I am deeply attached to that film. Whenever they make it, I will be there.” When asked if he and Akshay sat down later to discuss the notice or if the actor had apologized, Paresh stated that the matter was resolved without any formal conversation. We never sat down to talk about it, but we worked together later on. Sometimes, you don’t even need words. It is a way of resolving things.
