The perception is that outsiders have it tougher than star kids in Bollywood. For young actors from outside the film industry and with no connections to film families, getting the next project can be a tough task. But this one outsider subverted all those perceptions and notions when he signed as many as 40 films even before the release of his first.
The outsider who had 40 films before his debut
Suniel Shetty was one of the biggest stars of Bollywood in the 90s. The action star gave some of the most memorable Hindi films of the decade and then carried his stardom into the 21st century. But his star power was apparent even before he was first seen on screen. In a recent appearance on Bharti Singh and Haarsh Limbachiyaa’s podcast, the actor recalled his early days in Bollywood. Shetty said that when he signed on for his first film Balwaan, there was a buzz about him in the industry due to which he began getting offers. He said yes to every offer, some without even reading the script. This led to him having signed 40 films before Balwaan even released in theatres.
Suniel Shetty’s humble beginnings
Suniel Shetty recalled in the conversation his family’s humble beginnings. His father had ran away from home as a kid and relocated to Bombay. There, he worked at a restaurant cleaning tables before he was able to move up the social ladder. Suniel recalled that growing up, the family did not have beds and they often slept in rice bags. But his Bollywood debut with Balwaan in 1992 changed that. Its success led to Suniel getting more films and delivering more hits like Gopi Kishen, Mohra, and Dhadkan.
Suniel Shetty now
After 2000, Suniel Shetty moved to multi-starrer films, experimenting with negative roles in films like Main Hoon Na and Dhadkan, and the comedy genre in Hera Pheri and Awara Paagal Deewana. In 2022, he made his OTT debut with the MX Player show Dharavi Bank. Today, Shetty is considered one of the most popular and respected actors of his generation and has a reported net worth of Rs 125 crore. He is set to reprise his iconic role of Shyam in Hera Pheri 3, slated to release later this year.
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