Call it destiny or sheer coincidence, Suniel Shetty's daughter Athiya's debut film Hero will release on the same day (September 11) this year as her father's debut film Balwaan did 23 years ago. An ecstatic Suniel reveals, “I became a hero, thanks to Balwaan (1992) and now, Athiya's Hero is set to release on the same day. This is crazy. I realised this just a couple of days ago. Athiya was blown away when she heard it. Even Nikhil (Advani) was surprised and said, 'This is news!'“ Much to Suniel's amusement, the decision wasn't preplanned at all. He adds, “Hero's release was pushed from July to September for various reasons, but this wasn't one of them at all. And finally it lands up on this day. Balwaan was successful, though I was written off as an actor (smiles). But on the contrary, Athiya and Sooraj have done a great job as actors. They will be appreciated. And this is a proud father moment for me.“

As his daughter's big day is drawing closer, the father is getting anxious. He reasons, “I'm going bananas. I am spaced out, on tenterhooks. I had nothing to lose, had no expectations when I entered the film industry. However, acting is what Athiya wants to do. It is her passion and she has been educated in the field. She is holding her nerves better than me!“