Actor Suniel Shetty who was recently seen in Welcome To The Jungle, got candid about his life and career on Baatein Dil Se with The Times Group Editor-in-Chief Navika Kumar. He opened up about everything from PR culture in Bollywood to his school days, love for cricket and his son-in-law, KL Rahul, and the love for his iconic nickname, "Anna." Reflecting on his student life, the actor shared why he chose not to pursue cricket professionally despite his passion for the sport. He also spoke about how "Anna" evolved into more than just a nickname, becoming a symbol of warmth and "apnapan" for fans and colleagues and more.

Speaking about the changing culture in the film industry, criticized the growing obsession with image and public perception. "Yeah, everything is PR," he said, adding that agencies and people around celebrities often dictate "how we should live our lives."

He also took a dig at celebrity fashion culture, saying, "If you go to the airport, there should always be new clothes. I have been repeating clothes all my life." Comparing the past and present, he added, "What we used to wear became a trend. Now, because the world says it's a trend, you're wearing it." Calling out the industry's pursuit of perfection, the actor concluded, "So every actor looks the same... Lipstick of that brand, makeup of this brand, Botox of that brand, everything is fake."

 

Opening up about his school days and love for cricket, Suniel evealed that he was more interested in sports than academics. "I was an obsessive sportsman," he said, adding that he never pursued cricket professionally because "there was a lot of politics at that time" and admitted, "I wasn't good enough."

 

Speaking about his son-in-law, cricketer KL Rahul, the actor shared that his cricketing dream came true through him. "Yes, 100%," he said, while recalling how nervous he used to get while watching Rahul bat. "I stopped going to the matches," he admitted, narrating an incident where Rahul got out on the first ball after he briefly looked away. Suniel also revealed that he never offers Rahul cricketing advice, saying, "No, never. I started following him after he became my son-in-law. I loved his game because I loved Rahul Dravid. I always admired him as a player and the kind of person he is."

Shetty also got candid about his nickname Anna. Speaking about the nickname that has become synonymous with him, The  actor said he values the warmth associated with "Anna" more than his own name. "People probably older than me also have started calling me Anna," he said.

 

Reflecting on his disciplined lifestyle, the actor revealed that he has never consumed alcohol. "No, never," he said, explaining that he was drawn to martial arts at a young age. "At the age of 14 and 15, I was training with the Tibetan Border Police and the Maharashtra Police," he shared, recalling how the rigorous training instilled discipline and earned him respect from seniors.