Veteran Bollywood actor Sunil Shetty has expressed his admiration for the Indian batsman. KL RahulRevealing that he first met the cricketer as a fan long before Rahul became a part of his family.
A passionate cricket lover who once dreamed of becoming a professional cricketer himself, Sunil saw his connection with the game become even stronger when his daughter Athiya Shetty married Rahul in 2023. The couple welcomed their daughter Ivarah Vipula last year.
Recalling his first conversation with Rahul, Sunil admitted that he was impressed by the India batsman and admires his personality and impact.
In a conversation with Mid-Day, the actor said, “It was a fanboy moment. I met him as a fan, much before they met each other. To this day, I look at him as someone who is very well-spoken, soft-spoken, polite and leaves a big impact on the youth whenever and wherever he plays.”
Sunil also shared that he avoids giving career advice to Rahul like he does to his son, actor Ahan Shetty. Instead, he said that discussions within the family revolved around values and character rather than professional choices.
He said, “I don't give advice to either of my boys. As I say, we don't discuss career at home; we discuss character. We keep it very, very simple.”
Despite his deep love for cricket, Sunil revealed that he never became a part of it Indian Premier League (IPL) As a franchise owner, even though he believed he had the financial ability to do so in the early years of the league.
The actor explained that the lack of investors and financial support at the time prevented him from pursuing the opportunity.
He confessed, “I could have bought a team. If someone had supported me, I probably would have joined. In today's time, you have funders, VCs (venture capitalists) and investors who are willing to invest with you. At that time, it was not like that. We could not even think of spending that much money.”
Sunil also praised Shahrukh Khan for recognizing the opportunity early and successfully entering the IPL as co-owner of Kolkata Knight Riders. He credited the Bollywood superstar's foresight and the support of his business partners for the success of the franchise.
Sunil admitted, “Shah Rukh was at the right place at the right time and with the right people. And me, being an introvert, I… like I said, Shah Rukh was in a better place.”
He concluded by praising Shahrukh's vision and business acumen.
He concluded, “I always believe that Shahrukh is a complete visionary. Whatever he has done in life, he has done it beautifully.”
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