Mumbai: Filmmaker Priyadarshan, who will be helming the third instalment of the ‘Hera Pheri’ franchise after directing the cult comedy in 2000, revealed that actor-producer Akshay Kumar was in tears after Paresh Rawal’s sudden exit from the film.
In an interview with Mid-Day, Priyadarshan shared that after publicly announcing about his exit from the film, Paresh texted him that he had his own reasons to quit.
The filmmaker further revealed that Akshay, who bought the rights of the film from Firoz Nadiadwala, was deeply hurt because of Paresh’s uninformed decision.
“I didn’t try to stop him because he never told me that he was leaving the project. When I tried calling him, he texted, saying, ‘Please don’t call me. This is my decision and it has nothing to do with you.’ He also wrote that we should work together again. With me, Akshay has never cut down anybody’s role. He does not interfere with a director’s vision at all,” Priyadarshan said.
He continued, “All our contracts were signed. Ten days ago, Suniel, Akshay, and Paresh shot a scene and the IPL [Indian Premier League] teaser. It was only after we unanimously agreed to do Hera Pheri 3 that Akshay bought the franchise’s rights. Akshay had tears in his eyes when he asked me, ‘Priyan, why is Paresh doing this to us?’ Akshay shouldn’t suffer financial losses because Paresh walked out on a whim. I understand that he will have to take whatever action is required.”
Paresh had said earlier that he quit the film because he did not want to portray the character of Baburao and “didn’t feel like a part of it.”
Paresh also shared that he neither had any creative difference with the makers nor ill feelings against anyone.
Following Paresh’s sudden exit, Akshay, through his production house Cape of Good Films, sued Paresh for ₹25 crore.
“Paresh displayed a blatant disregard for professional integrity or commercial morality. If he did not want to do the film, he should have said so before signing the legal contract, accepting the signing amount, and making the producer spend so much money on the shoot,” a source was quoted as saying by HT City.
