When Suniel Shetty recalled career mistakes and admitted to losing stardom and box office grip

Suniel Shetty, one of Bollywood’s most beloved action stars, has never shied away from experimenting across genres, be it romance in ‘Dhadkan,’ patriotism in ‘Border,’ or comedy in 'Hera Pheri'. Yet, in a candid old interview from 2023, given during the promotions of ‘Dharavi Bank,’ Suniel admitted that it was his action-hero image that truly gave him longevity in the industry.


Read on to know more.

Suniel Shetty on career longevity

In a throwback interview, veteran actor Suniel Shetty reflected on his extensive career, stating that his action-hero image was the primary reason for his three decades of success in the film industry. He explained that this persona also provided him with the chance to explore other genres, like comedy. While acknowledging that he didn't have a string of blockbuster hits, he noted that his continuous experimentation across different genres was what ultimately kept him relevant to audiences throughout his career.


“The last 30 years in the industry was purely because of my action image. That gave me an opportunity to do comedy,” shared Shetty.

Suniel Shetty on downfall

However, Suniel confessed that straying too far from his established image didn’t always work in his favor. “I failed at times when I tried to do things differently because the audience wanted to see you with a particular image,” he said. The real turning point came when he began making what he now calls “wrong choices” in scripts. Those missteps, he admitted, cost him dearly, not only did he lose stardom, but also the box-office hold he once enjoyed. “When that happens to you, trash started coming. That’s when I decided that it’s better to not do anything than do trash,” Suniel reflected.

Suniel Shetty on hiatus, reflection, and the road ahead

The ‘Hunter’ actor revealed that a combination of “personal reasons and trash” projects kept him away from films for nearly seven to eight years. The pandemic, he has said in other conversations, further reinforced his belief in doing meaningful work rather than repetitive roles. Now, he’s back with a renewed focus on quality over quantity.


Recently seen in the action thriller 'Hunter 2', Suniel’s next big outing is 'Hera Pheri 3', reuniting him with Akshay Kumar and Paresh Rawal for one of Bollywood’s most loved comedy franchises.