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Suniel Shetty is an Indian actor, producer, and entrepreneur. He has worked in many Bollywood, Malayalam, and Tamil films. Let’s find out some interesting facts about Suniel Shetty.
Biography/Wiki
Suniel Shetty was born on 11 August 1961 (age 62 years; as of 2023) in Mulki, Mangalore, Karnataka, India. His full name is Suniel Veerappa Shetty. After completing his schooling, he went to H.R. College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai to get a degree in Hotel Management. Suniel has received training in Karate and is a black belt in Kick Boxing. When Shetty was a child, his father worked as a waiter at a restaurant in Worli, Mumbai, and used to clean the plates. His father’s boss called him to manage his new business and by 1943, his father had bought the whole building. Suniel is an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva.
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5’ 10”
Weight (approx.): 80 kg
Eye Colour: Dark Brown
Hair Colour: Black
Body Measurements (approx.): Chest 42”, Waist 34”, Biceps 16”
Family, Caste & Wife
Suniel Shetty was born into a Tulu speaking Bunt Hindu Family. His father is Late Veerapa Shetty.
Suniel Shetty sitting in the lap of his father
Not much is known about his mother. Suniel has an elder sister named Sujata Shetty.
Suniel Shetty with his mother
In 1991, he married Mana Shetty, who is a creative director and runs an NGO for underprivileged kids. The couple has a daughter, Athiya Shetty, who is an actress and a son, Ahan Shetty, who is a budding actor.
Sunil Shetty with his wife and children
Career
Suniel made his debut in 1992 with the film, “Balwan.” The film was a commercial success and established him as an actor. Subsequently, he played the protagonist in movies like Waqt Hamara Hai (1993), Anth (1994), Mohra (1994), and Dilwale (1994). It was a golden phase of his life as all his movies were a hit at the box office.
Later, he appeared in films like Border (1997), Bhai (1997), Hera Pheri (2000), Dhadkan (2000), Main Hoon Na (2004), Welcome (2007), and Red Alert: The War Within (2010). He has also been a part of the TV reality show, “Biggest Loser Jeetega (2007)”.
As a producer, he has produced films like Khel- No Ordinary Game, Rakht, and Bhagam Bhag under the production banner of his company Popcorn Entertainment.
Apart from acting, he is a successful entrepreneur. He owns Suzie Wong and Club H20 in Mumbai. He is also the co-owner of the Mischief Dining Bar.
Controversies
- Suniel was caught into trouble at the Los Angeles airport post the 9/11 attacks in the USA. It so happened that the officials thought him as a suspect due to the long beard that he had grown for his movie, Kaante (2002).
- Suniel Shetty got into a fight with director Mukesh Chhabra while working with him. Mukesh earlier used to work at Suniel’s office in Versova (Mumbai), but later shifted to producer Vashu Bhagnani’s building in Juhu, Mumbai suburbs.
Awards
- Filmfare Best Villain Award for Dhadkan (2001)
- Rajiv Gandhi Award along with Kareena Kapoor and Sachin Tendulkar (2005)
Suniel Shetty received the Rajiv Gandhi Award
- Stardust Search Light Award for Best Actor for Red Alert: The War Within (2011)
- On 7 November 2020, he was conferred with the prestigious ‘Bharat Ratna Dr Ambedkar Award’ by the governor of Maharashtra for his COVID-19 relief efforts. Suniel Shetty provided financial help to the Dabbawalas of Mumbai during the coronavirus-induced lockdown.
Car Collection
Suniel owns many swanky cars including Hummer H3, Mercedes-Benz SUV, and Land Rover Defender 110 (worth Rs 1.20 crore).
Suniel Shetty with his Hummer H3
Salary/Net Worth
With a net worth of $10 million, Suniel gets paid ₹2-3 crore per film.
Autograph
Sunil Shetty’s signature
Favourites
- Food: Kulfi, Fish Curry, and Thai Cuisine.
- Movies: Sharaabi, Hera Pheri
- Cricketer: Sachin Tendulkar
- Colours: Blue, White, Black
- Directors: J P Dutta, Gulzar, Rajiv Rai, Priyadarshan
- Book: Sunny Days by Sunil Gavaskar
Facts
- His family and friends fondly call him Anna.
- Suniel resides at 18-B, Prithvi Apts., Altamount Road, Mumbai.
Suniel Shetty’s residence in Mumbai
- Shetty is a good friend of Sanjay Dutt and Raveena Tandon.
Suniel Shetty with Raveena Tandon
- Suniel is often called the He-Man of Bollywood due to his masculine body.
- During the 1990s, actress Sonali Bendre had a huge crush on Suniel.
- Shetty changed his name from “Sunil” to “Suniel” for numerological reasons.
- Suniel is a huge fan of cricket and has also played for “Mumbai Heroes” in the Celebrity Cricket League.
Suniel Shetty playing cricket
- Shetty is allergic to prawns.
- He has actively participated in various charitable events.
- Suniel earned his first Filmfare Award for the Best Villain for his performance in Dhadkan (2001).
- When Raju Mavani signed him for Balwaan, many actresses denied working with him as Suniel was a newcomer. Later, Divya Bharti agreed to work with him, and the movie became a huge hit.
- Shetty was often involved in huge fights during his initials days in Bollywood. But he altered his behaviour to set an example for his fans.
- He is politically inclined to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has done campaigning for the party.
Suniel Shetty With Arun Jaitley
- In November 2021, he talked about his father’s struggle in Mumbai on the sets of the Indian dance reality show India’s Best Dancer 2; the actor said that his father came to Mumbai at the age of nine and worked as a cleaner in Mumbai buildings. He said,
Whenever anyone asks me, who is my hero? I always say it’s my father. I am really proud of my father for the kind of man he was and of the incredible life he led. He came to Mumbai when he was merely 9-years-old and worked as a cleaner.”
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He revealed in December 2022 that 128 women were rescued from sex trafficking from Kamathipura, a neighbourhood in Mumbai, and sent back home to Nepal. The actor is also reported to have booked flights for 128 women to Kathmandu.