Top News

Even after 25 years, the Hera Pheri series continues to hold a special place in Indian film history. However, Paresh Rawal — known for his legendary portrayal of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte — has made headlines for stepping away from the third installment.

In a past conversation with Siddharth Kannan, Rawal candidly shared his reservations about the second film, Phir Hera Pheri. He felt it lacked the original’s sincerity, stating, “It lost its innocence.” According to him, the sequel’s plot was overstuffed in an attempt to top the first film’s success. He even cautioned the late director Neeraj Vohra against overcrowding the narrative with forced humor. “Audiences may laugh at anything, but that doesn’t mean we strip away the soul of comedy,” he remarked.

In another chat with The Lallantop, Rawal criticized Bollywood’s habit of churning out sequels solely for box-office gain. He expressed dismay at the formulaic approach of reusing popular characters and tossing in recycled jokes. “If you’re making a film only to earn money, where’s the fun in that?” he questioned.

Despite the love fans have for Baburao, Rawal revealed feeling creatively restricted by the character. He described the iconic role as “a noose around the neck,” highlighting how it led to typecasting. Rawal believes Baburao’s character still has untapped potential — but blames the industry’s lack of vision for not evolving it further.

With Hera Pheri 3 underway and Rawal reportedly absent, fans are left hoping for both closure and a creative revival.