Beyond Hera Pheri 3: 5 times Paresh Rawal was in hot water; Babubhai’s big controversies

Akshay Kumar has sent a legal notice to Paresh Rawal after the veteran actor exited Hera Pheri 3. Akshay has reportedly asked for ₹25 crore in damages. He claims Paresh acted unprofessionally by leaving Hera Pheri 3 after signing the contract and starting the shoot.

This is not the first time Paresh Rawal is a part of a major controversy. Check out 5 such past occasions.

Tweet about Arundhati Roy

In 2017, Rawal tweeted about an incident where the Indian Army tied a Kashmiri stone pelter to an army jeep as a human shield. The-then BJP MP suggested that writer Arundhati Roy should be tied instead.

The tweet sparked massive outrage, with actor Swara Bhaskar and Congress leader Shobha Ojha criticising him. Rawal later clarified his stance.

“I expected this kind of reaction from liberal-minded people. I just want to know when Arundhati Roy was talking about army people, why no one said anything?” he asked.

“If she is right, then even I am right. If she regrets making the comments, then I also regret it. Agreed that this is fake news, but what about the comments that she made on 2002 Godhra riots? If you have freedom of expression, then even I have it,” Rawal told PTI.

Remarks on Bengalis and fish-eating

During a 2022 election rally in Gujarat, Rawal made a comment stereotyping Bengalis for their fish-eating habits. His remark was perceived as xenophobic, particularly targeting Bangladeshi and Rohingya Muslims.

The statement drew backlash, with some accusing him of prejudice. Rawal apologised on X, clarifying that he meant "illegal Bangladeshi and Rohingya" immigrants, not Bengalis. He also expressed regret if sentiments were hurt.

Drinking urine for healing

In April 2025, Rawal revealed in an interview that he used to drink his own urine to heal a knee injury sustained while filming Ghatak in the 1990s. He claimed it had sped up his recovery.

Health experts have refuted this, stating there’s no scientific evidence for urine therapy. They have also warned of potential health risks due to toxins in urine.

Comment on Akshay Kumar’s friendship

Rawal stirred controversy by stating that Akshay Kumar, his frequent co-star in films like Hera Pheri and Welcome, was a colleague, not a friend, despite their on-screen chemistry.

He called Naseeruddin Shah, Om Puri and Johny Lever his best friends from his theatre days. This led to public debate, with some fans disappointed. Rawal, however, clarified it was about limited social interaction, not animosity.

OMG 2 exit

Paresh Rawal dropped out of OMG 2 due to script issues and was later replaced by Pankaj Tripathi. In an interview, Paresh said he didn’t like the script and didn’t want to do a sequel just for money.

The veteran Bollywood actor added that he had made the same mistake with Hera Pheri 2 and didn’t want to repeat it.