Suniel Shetty and Akshay Kumar play the role of Shyam and Raju respectively.

Suniel Shetty is ‘stunned’ at the news that Akshay Kumar would no longer be appearing in Hera Pheri 3 and said he would try to see if things could be put back together.

Suniel Shetty, Akshay Kumar’s Hera Pheri 3 co-star, has rekindled optimism that the actor would return. Akshay Kumar recently revealed that he had pulled out of the film due to creative issues. In a recent interview, Suniel expressed his shock at the news and promised to contact the producers to inquire about Akshay’s potential return.

According to reports from last week, Akshay canceled his participation in the third installment of the popular Hera Pheri franchise. Speaking at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit, the actor reaffirmed this.

“The film was offered to me but I was not satisfied with the script. I have to do what people want to see. That is why, I backed out. I took a step behind. It is a part of my life and journey for me. I am also very sad that I can’t do it. But I am not happy with how the creative things have shaped out,” he said.

Now, responding to this news Suniel Shetty told Mid-Day, “Everything was on track, but I don’t know what happened suddenly [that] Akshay is not a part of it anymore. Once I am [done with] Dharavi Bank promotions, I will sit with Firoz [Nadiadwala, producer] and understand why and how this happened. Akshay, Paresh and I had committed to the movie, and this twist has stunned me.”

The actor added that he is still hoping things can fall into place. “Hera Pheri 3 cannot be the same without Akshay. Raju, Babu bhaiyya and Shyam are iconic characters whose journeys have been together. There’s palpable excitement when you mention the film. I want to see if things can still fall in place,” he added.

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