Paresh Rawal Said He Is The 'Hero' Of Hera Pheri, Hinted At Being Sidelined

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2 days ago

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Paresh Rawal answered if he was happy with the comedy-related awards he received for Hera Pheri.
Paresh Rawal's portrayal of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte, affectionately known as Babu Bhaiya, in the 2000 cult classic Hera Pheri remains a benchmark in Indian cinema's comedic legacy. Directed by Priyadarshan, the film, which also starred Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty, was initially met with a lukewarm reception but later gained immense popularity, largely due to Rawal's impeccable comic timing and memorable dialogues. The actor won several 'Best Comedian' and 'Best Actor in a Comic Role' awards in 2001.
During a chat with fans on Rediff, one person asked Paresh if he was happy to have won these accolades. Paresh pointed out that he was the 'hero' of the film, despite what the awards mentioned. He hinted that he had been sidelined during awards season. The fan asked, 'Pareshji, I know you were angry about receiving the Best Villain award for Sir. Are you happy this time with the Best Comedian award?"
The veteran actor mentioned, 'In Sir, I was not a villain. I was a character actor, but for Hera Pheri I was the Hero……..but what the hell." Hera Pheri has become a cult favourite, with Rawal's character Babu Bhaiya being central to its enduring charm. His dialogues, expressions, and interactions with Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty have left an indelible mark on audiences, making them timeless references in Indian pop culture.
However, the actor is embroiled in controversy after his sudden exit from Hera Pheri 3. The fate of Hera Pheri 3 is in jeopardy after Paresh Rawal's abrupt exit from the film, causing Akshay Kumar to send a legal notice to the veteran actor. Paresh Rawal also accused Akshay Kumar and the production team of not providing him with a proper script or a long-term agreement.
Akshay Kumar addressed this controversy at the trailer launch of Housefull 5 and said, 'I've worked with him since the last 30 years. 32 saal see unke saath kaam karte aya hoon. We are very good friends. He is a great actor. I really admire him. I don't think this is a place where I am going to talk about it. Because, whatever has to happen, it is a very serious matter — it is a matter which is going to be handled by the court. I don't think I'm going to speak about it here."
Meanwhile, Suniel Shetty previously expressed his shock upon learning about Rawal's exit from the film and said that Hera Pheri cannot happen without the veteran actor. Suniel Shetty told ANI, 'It cannot happen. 100 per cent cannot happen without Paresh Rawal. It can have a 1 per cent chance without me and Akshay, but 100% can't happen without Paresh ji. No, it doesn't. Raju and Shyam, if they're not hammered by Babu here, it doesn't work."
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