Pankaj Tripathi Replaces Paresh Rawal In Hera Pheri 3? Fans Say, ‘Feels Off, But Next Best Choice’
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.
As fans await updates on the future of the beloved comedy franchise, they have reimaged Pankaj Tripathi as Paresh Rawal’s iconic character, Baburao Ganpatrao Apte. An AI-generated image of Pankaj Tripathi as Baburao Apte has gone viral on social media, inciting mixed reactions from fans.
Pankaj Tripathi is seen donning Baburao’s signature hairstyle and thick glasses in the now-viral photo. Clad in a white dhoti and vest, the actor also sports the character’s gold chain and bracelet. The post was shared with the caption, “Can Pankaj Tripathi play Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in Hera Pheri? The image has generated mixed reviews on Reddit. Have a look here:
One person wrote, “Pankaj Tripathi could bring something valuable to the role, but he wouldn’t be a replacement, he’d be a reinvention. He’d probably make a good ‘Babu Bhaiya’ type character in a spin-off or reboot, but stepping into Paresh Rawal’s shoes directly would feel off. Audiences would constantly compare them, and the charm of the original might get lost. So respectfully, no.” Another person added, “It’s gonna be how it was for Robert Pattinson in Batman.”
A fan of the comedy franchise wrote, “If Pankaj Tripathi is taken into the role and Paresh Rawal does not agree, then maybe they should give the movie a new flavour with a new name, role change or something. Pankaj Tripathi is a very good actor, and he can definitely reinvent the role as per his capabilities. Unfortunately, he cannot exactly copy Paresh’s role.” Another person commented, “He can pull it off.” Someone else commented, “Not 100% but next best choice after Paresh Rawal.”
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.”
“A film becomes iconic when the audience remembers the characters. This is not Suniel, Akshay, and Paresh; it was Raju, Shyam, and Babu Rao. Nobody can replace those 3 characters,” the actor told Zoom recently. As such, fans remain hopeful that Paresh Rawal will change his mind and return to the franchise.