Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 18 (ANI): Veteran actor Paresh Rawal has officially stepped away from the upcoming instalment of the beloved Bollywood comedy franchise 'Hera Pheri', confirming his exit from 'Hera Pheri 3' through a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The actor's departure sent ripples across social media, where fans have since been vocal about their disappointment.

Earlier this year, director Priyadarshan confirmed that 'Hera Pheri 3' was in the works, bringing back the iconic trio of Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, and Paresh Rawal.

However, Rawal's announcement that he would no longer reprise his role as the beloved Babu Bhaiya left fans shocked and disheartened.

While speculation initially suggested creative differences as the reason behind his decision, Paresh Rawal addressed these rumours in a public statement on Sunday.

'I wish to put it on record that my decision to step away from Hera Pheri 3 was not due to creative differences,' he wrote on X, adding, 'I REITERATE THAT THERE ARE NO CREATIVE DISAGREEMENTS WITH THE FILMMAKER. I hold immense love, respect, and faith in Mr. Priyadarshan, the film's director.'

https://x.com/sirpareshrawal/status/1923960702647271838?s=48&t=pGU8BerQmkbmBgzLSg580g

His post raised even more questions among fans, many of whom took to social media to express their disbelief and seek clarity.

One user questioned if the actor wanted to avoid being typecast in the Babu Bhaiya role, while another speculated about possible issues with the production.

'Then what happened? Are the producers offering less money, or are you bored of playing the same role? Come on, Babu Bhaiyya, Hera Pheri without even one of the three main leads would be totally pointless. Please rethink.' a fan asked online,' one user commented.

'You don't want to get trapped again in Babu Bhaiya Image...?' another user wrote.

For over 20 years, Paresh Rawal's portrayal of Baburao Ganpatrao Apte, lovingly called Babu Bhaiya, has become one of Indian cinema's most enduring and cherished comic roles.

The original 'Hera Pheri', directed by Priyadarshan, was released in 2000 and was followed by a successful sequel in 2006, directed by Neeraj Vora.

It featured Akshay, Paresh, Suniel, Bipasha Basu, Rajpal Yadav, and Rimi Sen in the lead roles. (ANI)