While excitement for Hera Pheri 3 continues to build among fans, Paresh Rawal has candidly admitted that he feels weighed down by his iconic role as Babu Rao. Speaking to The Lallantop, the veteran actor confessed that playing the beloved character repeatedly has become exhausting. In his words, the role has turned into a “gale ka fanda” — something that feels like it’s choking him.
Soon after the release of Phir Hera Pheri in 2006, Paresh Rawal actively sought a change. In 2007, he approached filmmakers like Vishal Bhardwaj and R. Balki, seeking an opportunity to reinvent himself. He pitched an idea where he could appear in the same Babu Rao get-up but portray a completely different character. However, Vishal Bhardwaj was not interested in revisiting familiar characters. Recalling those moments, Paresh said, “My Hera Pheri role is a gale ka fanda. I went to Vishal Bhardwaj in 2007 after in 2006 Phir Hera Pheri released. I told him, ‘I want a release from the image that has been set by this film.’ I asked him to give me a role in the same get-up but a completely different role. I’m an actor, mujhe fasna nahi hai aise daldal mein. But Vishal told me I don’t do remake of characters.”
Not ready to give up, Paresh tried again in 2022, this time approaching R. Balki with a similar request. “I asked him to give a different character in the same get-up. I told him, ‘I feel suffocated. I feel happy, but it ties me down. I want liberation from this. This is very bad,’” he shared.
First released in 2000, Hera Pheri, directed by Priyadarshan, became an instant classic in Bollywood, thanks to its hilarious storyline, memorable dialogues, and especially Paresh Rawal’s unforgettable portrayal of Babu Rao. Yet, behind the laughter and love for the character, lies an actor’s quiet yearning for creative freedom.
