Despite having no prior connection to Bollywood, Suniel Shetty found his way into show business and eventually became a big star. Since his debut in director Deepak Anand’s Balwaan (1992), where he starred alongside Divya Bharti, Suniel’s career has seen both soaring highs and steep lows. Yet, even after three decades, he remains active in Bollywood and played notable roles in two films — Nadaaniyan and Kesari Veer — in 2025 alone.
However, the actor’s journey in the industry has been far from easy. Suniel recently recalled the “unfair” criticism he received for his performance in Balwaan. He shared that critics went so far as to call him a “doorknob” and even suggested he return to working at his father’s restaurant, selling idlis and vadas. Still, he emphasised that he has no shame in admitting his father’s background in the restaurant business, proudly stating that it was how their family made a living.
“They trashed me as a performer and labelled me a “doorknob” in their reviews. Some even suggested I go sell idlis and vadas at our family restaurant. They treated selling idli-vadas as something derogatory. But that family business ran my house. In fact, it’s because of that background that even today, I feel no shame in doing any kind of work. I am not embarrassed to do anything, particularly physical labour. I don’t even think twice while opening a door for someone or saying ‘thank you’ or ‘sorry’. It’s because of that idli-vada upbringing that I am like this now,” he shared during a chat with The Lallantop.
Last year, the Hera Pheri actor had opened up about how his father ran away from home in Mangalore at the age of nine, took up menial jobs, started his own restaurant and eventually rose through the ranks through sheer hard work. “My dad ran away and came to Mumbai as a child. He didn’t have a father, but he had three sisters. He found work in a South Indian restaurant at age nine, because that’s the thing about our community, we support each other. His first job was cleaning tables. He was so little, he would have to make four rounds of the table just to clean all sides. He would sleep in a sack meant for rice,” he shared during a conversation with comedian Bharti Singh and her husband Haarsh Limbachiyaa on their podcast.
He added, “His boss bought three buildings, and dad was eventually asked to manage them. When the boss retired, dad bought all three buildings. Today, I still have all three buildings. And that’s where our journey began.”
