Ahan Shetty on first quarter of 21st century: 'Biggest change has been how honest films have become'

Actor Ahan Shetty feels that the biggest shift in the first 25 years of the 21st century has been the growing honesty in filmmaking, with stories now driven more by emotion and relatability than by stars and spectacle.

Reflecting on how cinema has evolved, Ahan, who is the son of Bollywood veteran star Suniel Shetty, told IANS: "I think the biggest change has been how honest films have become. Earlier, a lot of storytelling was built around stars and spectacle. Now even the bigger films try to come from a place of emotion and relatability."


The actor shared that earlier narratives often leaned heavily on larger-than-life elements, whereas even big-budget films today attempt to connect with audiences on a more emotional level.

"Technology has definitely changed the scale and reach, but what really surprised me is the audience today. They're far more involved, they analyse everything, question choices, and really invest in the process."

According to the actor, this shift has raised the bar for performers as well. He believes actors can no longer rely on surface-level impact alone.

"As an actor, you can't rely on surface-level impact anymore. You actually have to mean what you're doing on screen," said Ahan.

Talking about Ahan, he began his acting career with Milan Luthria directional romantic action drama film Tadap in 2021, co-starring Tara Sutaria. The film was a remake of hit Telugu action film RX 100.

He is now set to be seen in the upcoming film 'Border 2.' Directed by Anurag Singh, the film features a formidable ensemble cast including Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, Ahan Shetty, Medha Rana, Mona Singh, and Sonam Bajwa.

The film is slated to hit theatres on 23 January 2026.

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