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).
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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.”
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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.”