'Hera Pheri' Was a Hit, Paresh Rawal Said - "Get Me Rid of Baburao"

Paresh Rawal has appeared in over 250 films in his career. He has played roles ranging from Sardar Patel to ruthless villains, quirky policemen, and even a transgender character. These roles helped establish him as a successful actor. However, the character that truly won the hearts of the audience was Baburao Ganpatrao Apte from Hera Pheri. With large eyes behind thick glasses, a distinct Mumbaiya accent, and the body language of a classic old man, Paresh Rawal nailed this character. The dialogues of Baburao are still popular today.

The third installment of the film, Hera Pheri 3, starring Akshay Kumar, is set to release, and it is already making headlines. However, Paresh Rawal has expressed that he isn't happy to reprise the role. According to Paresh, Hera Pheri has become a noose around his neck, and he is feeling suffocated by it.

In the film Hera Pheri, Paresh Rawal’s portrayal of the character Baburao Ganpatrao Apte became iconic, but it also became a challenge for him in his career. He struggled for years to break free from this image. Paresh Rawal shared his story during an appearance on The Lallantop’s show ‘Guest in the Newsroom’. When asked how often people praise the film Hera Pheri, he explained:

"Yes, people do say it’s great, but you know... it's like a noose around my neck. I never shared this with anyone, but you’ll be surprised to hear that in 2007, I went to meet Vishal Bhardwaj. Hera Pheri Part 2 had released in 2006. I told Vishal Bhardwaj, ‘Brother, I want to get rid of the image I have from this film. Only you can give me a different role in the same getup.’ He was surprised and asked, ‘Why do you want to get rid of it?’ I said, ‘Now, whenever people think of me, they only think of Hera Pheri. I am an actor, I don’t want to be stuck in this kind of trap. I want a different role in this getup. I want to break free from Baburao’s image.’ He replied, ‘Paresh, I don’t do remakes.’ And then I left."