Paresh Rawal confirms Kartik Aaryan was initially cast in Hera Pheri 3; reveals if he was replacing Akshay Kumar | Bollywood-OxBig News Network

(Also Read: Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal fly a kite to celebrate Makar Sankranti on Bhooth Bangla set. Watch)

Paresh Rawal reveals Kartik is not a part of Hera Pheri 3

Regarding Hera Pheri 3, Paresh confirmed that Kartik Aaryan was initially signed for the film. When asked if he was going to play Akshay Kumar’s character, Raju, Paresh clarified, “At that time, the story was different. Isko Raju samajh ke pakad ke leke aaye thay, par ye alag hi kirdar tha (They cast him thinking he would play Raju, but his character was completely different). This is what I know because even I didn’t hear the whole story.” He further added that now Kartik is not a part of the project as the story has completely changed.

Paresh Rawal on Phir Hera Pheri

When asked if he became overconfident during Phir Hera Pheri, Paresh denied it and stated, “Not me but everyone else became overconfident about themselves. Then the film lost its innocence. Sorry to say but voh film nahi bani thi bara bar. I would tell Neeraj, tu bhar raha hai ismein, voh zarori nahi hai yaar (The film wasn’t made properly. you’re overstuffing this film with sequences, it’s not needed). I asked him to keep the same simplicity that the first part had. Zayada bharega toh mamla bigadega hi. Log toh har baat par hasenge ( It will get messy if you overstuff the film. People will laugh at everything). They’ll laugh even if they saw someone running naked but we don’t have to run naked. You should have sense of proportion.”

Paresh discussed the potential of his character Baburao, highlighting its immense popularity and value. He emphasised that a character like Baburao holds goodwill worth ₹500 crore, and according to him, simply placing the character in a different setting while only altering the jokes would be meaningless. Instead, he believed that the audience was eager to see Baburao embark on a completely new journey.

Paresh Rawal’s upcoming movies

Paresh has an exciting lineup of films ahead. He will be seen sharing the screen with Akshay Kumar and Tabu in Priyadarshan’s horror-comedy Bhooth Bangla, set to release in theatres on April 2, 2026. Additionally, he will appear in the multi-starrer Welcome To The Jungle, which features Akshay Kumar, Raveena Tandon, Jacqueline Fernandez, and others in key roles.