Suniel Shetty has opened up about her bond with son-in-law and Indian cricketer KL Rahul, revealing that she met the star batsman as an admirer long before Rahul and Athiya Shetty fell in love.In a recent interview with Mid-Day, Suniel also reflected on why he never bought an IPL team, despite being a passionate sports enthusiast, and praised Shah Rukh Khan for his vision of investing in the league early.
Suniel Shetty in KL Rahul meeting
Suniel revealed that his first interaction with KL Rahul had nothing to do with family ties.“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,” he said.KL Rahul married Suniel’s daughter, actor Athiya Shetty, in 2023. The couple are now parents to their daughter, Evaarah Vipula.
“Let’s discuss character, not careers”
The actor said that he does not interfere in Rahul’s cricket career, just as he avoids giving career advice to his son, actor Ahan Shetty.“I don’t give advice to my two kids. Like I say, we don’t talk about careers at home; we talk about character. We keep it very, very simple,” Suniel shared.
Suniel Shetty says he could have bought an IPL team
Despite being an avid sports lover and once dreaming of becoming a cricketer, Suniel admitted that he stayed away from the Indian Premier League (IPL) when the tournament started in 2008.Looking back, he believes he could have had a franchise if the funding ecosystem had been different.“I could have bought a team. If someone had backed me, I probably would have gone in. Nowadays, you have financiers, VCs and investors who are willing to invest with you. Back then, it wasn’t like that. We couldn’t even think about spending that much money,” he said.
Suniel Shetty praises Shah Rukh Khan’s vision
Suniel also spoke about Shah Rukh Khan buying the Kolkata Knight Riders franchise with Juhi Chawla and Jay Mehta during the inaugural IPL season.“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,” he said.Calling Shah Rukh a visionary, Suniel 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 in Ahmed Khan’s adventure comedy Welcome to the Jungle.