Himesh Reshammiya pauses concert to praise Paresh Rawal’s fantastic Hera Pheri Role

Himesh Reshammiya performed to a packed crowd during his concert in Mumbai on Saturday, May 31. While entertaining fans with his signature energy and music, he also took a moment to address some of the noise surrounding him, including criticism about his nasal singing style. However, what stood out was when he paused mid-performance to shower praise on veteran actor Paresh Rawal for his iconic role in the Hera Pheri films.

What did Himesh Reshammiya say about Paresh Rawal?

Without directly mentioning the ongoing controversy around Hera Pheri 3, Himesh offered a subtle but pointed tribute. “Hera Pheri 1, he was fantastic. Hera Pheri 2, he was fantastic, he was also great in…” he said, before breaking into O Meri Zohrajabeen, the beloved track from Phir Hera Pheri, where Rawal played the unforgettable Baburao Ganpatrao Apte, alongside Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty.

Hera Pheri 3 controversy

The moment came in the midst of a heated controversy. Paresh Rawal recently exited Hera Pheri 3, triggering a legal battle with Akshay Kumar’s production company, Cape of Good Films. Reports claim the company has filed a lawsuit seeking ₹25 crore in damages. According to reports, Paresh Rawal returned the ₹11 lakh signing fee he had received, along with 15% annual interest and additional compensation for stepping away. A source told the outlet, “Paresh Rawal has returned the amount with added interest and a little more as goodwill.” Shortly after, Paresh Rawal took to X, writing, “My lawyer, Ameet Naik, has sent an appropriate response regarding my rightful termination and exit. Once they read my response, all issues will be laid to rest.”

The matter resurfaced at the Housefull 5 trailer launch, where Akshay Kumar was asked about his falling out with Rawal. He responded diplomatically, saying, “I’ve worked with him for 32 years. He’s a great actor and a good friend. This is a serious matter and will be handled legally. I won’t speak about it here.”

Meanwhile, speculation suggests that Pankaj Tripathi may be roped in to play Baburao in the upcoming sequel. However, an official announcement is still awaited.