Paresh Rawal, known for his iconic role of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in the beloved “Hera Pheri” film series, has officially walked out of the next sequel “Hera Pheri 3”, leaving fans quite disappointed.
Rawal’s character, lovingly referred to as Babu Rao, gained massive popularity and a huge fan base by his acting in Hera Pheri (2000) and its sequel Phir Hera Pheri (2006).
However, following months of speculations, the veteran Bollywood star has finally confirmed to Bollywood Hungama that he won’t be back for the third part. “Yes, it’s a fact,” Rawal replied, when questioned about rumors of his departure following creative differences with the makers of the film.
In an earlier interview with Lallantop, Rawal discussed the enduring effect of the character and the constraint it put on his art.
“It’s like a noose,” he said. “I went to Vishal Bhardwaj in 2007, a year after the sequel was out. I explained to him that I wanted to get out of that image—to play a different character, albeit in the same get-up. Only he could see that desire.”
“All the directors kept looking at me only from the Hera Pheri perspective. But I’m an actor, and I don’t wish to remain stuck in a stereotype,” he added.
“It’s like a noose, I went to Vishal Bhardwaj in 2007, a year after the sequel was out. I explained to him that I wanted to get out of that image—to play a different character, albeit in the same get-up,” Rawal shared the enduring effect of the character in an interview
Rawal also spoke about how he had met director R. Balki in 2022 and asked for a similar favor. “I asked him to give me something else—maybe even in the same look, but as a different character. I feel creatively restricted. Though I do feel happiness from the affection the character gets, it also puts a pressure upon me. I wish to be relieved of that,” he declared.
The confirmation of Rawal’s departure has left fans disheartened, with many expressing that the essence of Hera Pheri would be incomplete without Babu Rao.
One of the tweets read, “What? So all the fun has exited from Hera Pheri 3?” Another Twitter user wrote, “No Paresh Rawal, no Hera Pheri 3.”
