Before making a name for herself in Bollywood, Suniel Shetty he had dreamed of becoming a cricketer. Passionate about sports, the actor never imagined that years later, his daughter Athiya Shetty she would marry Indian cricketer KL Rahul. The couple married in 2023 and are now parents to a daughter, Evaarah Vipula, who was born last year.Looking back on his first meeting with Rahul, Suniel revealed that he met the cricketer long before he became part of the family and was simply an admirer at the time.“It was a fanboy moment. I knew him as a fan long, long before they met. To this day, that’s how I look at him: someone who’s very well-spoken, soft-spoken, humble and makes a big impact on the youth whenever and wherever he plays,” the actor said.Speaking to Mid-Day, Suniel shared that he refrains from giving career advice to KL Rahul, just as he refrains from giving his son, the actor. Ahan Shetty. Instead, conversations at home focus on values rather than professions.“I don’t give advice to both of my boys. Like I say, we don’t talk about careers at home; we talk about character. We keep it very, very simple,” he said.Despite his lifelong love of cricket and his close ties to the sport through Rahul, Suniel admitted that he was never part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) boom. Reflecting on the early days of the league, he said he might have had the luxury of owning a franchise, but it didn’t have the support and ecosystem that entrepreneurs have today.“I could have bought a team. If someone had backed me, I probably would have gone in. At the moment, you have financiers, VCs (venture capitalists) and investors who want to invest with you. Back then, it wasn’t like that. We couldn’t even think about spending that much money,” he confessed.The actor also reflected Shah Rukh KhanThe successful IPL entry with the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise, which was bought for Rs 570 crore. He credited Shah Rukh’s time and support system, including long-time collaborator Juhi Chawla and her husband, businessman Jay Mehta.“Shah Rukh was in the right place at the right time, and with the right people. And I, being an introvert, was… like I said, Shah Rukh was in a better place,” admitted Suniel.Praising his Main Hoon Na co-star, he added, “I have always believed that Shah Rukh is an absolute visionary. Whatever he has done in life, he has done it very well.”Suniel Shetty was last seen Ahmed KhanThe adventure comedy of Welcome to the Jungle.