There is a widespread campaign on the internet to cast the talented Pankaj Tripathi as Baburao Ganpatrao Apte in Priyadarshan’s Hera Pheri 3 after Paresh Rawal’s unceremonious exit from the project.
“Logon ne toh posters are meme bhi banana shuru kar diya hai,” laughs Pankaj as I catch him amidst his jam-packed schedule (for the record he forsook his lunch to chat with me).
So is there any truth to this rumour? “That I am playing Baburao? None at all! No truth. I have not even been approached to play the part. This is more wishful thinking of fans than fact.”
Fans of Pankaj or the Baburao character in Hera Pheri? “Both! Somehow they feel I am the best man to play the character after the original (Paresh Rawal). But I haven’t been offered the role. And even if I did get the offer, I don’t think I would want to step into the iconic part. Log compare karenge kha-ma-kha. It would not be something I want.”
About the fan love that impels this phantom casting, Pankaj says, “I am flattered that fans feel I can fill those shoes. That character from Hera Pheri is iconic.”
