Actor Suniel Shetty turned 65 on August 11 and penned a heartfelt note on LinkedIn recently, reflecting on how his priorities towards work have evolved over the years. The actor now opens up about navigating the industry at his age and what continues to shape his career.

“Even now, I’m not easily available. I’ve made sure that I only associate with people I believe will help me grow and do something that leaves a positive impact on people,” Suniel shares, adding that his relevance also comes from his positive approach to life. “I’m very content, happy and very secure and that is basically the relevance.”

The actor, who was last seen in Welcome To The Jungle and reportedly has an action film in the pipeline with Tiger Shroff, also reflects on embracing his age and working alongside the younger generation. “Accepting roles which were age appropriate is the only reason I’ve landed myself into this position, because there’s no point competing with kids half your age who are better looking, better built, and masters of their craft,” he says adding that this philosophy extends beyond the screen into his life as well.

“I’ve accepted it very gracefully, be it in my role of a husband, a son, a father or a grandfather. I’m consistently working on myself, thus I’ve perhaps delayed the process of ageing, but it’s nothing to be shy about. Wrinkles will always be there and that is a part of my life now,” he says.

Once the poster boy of masculine protagonists in Hindi cinema, Suniel further reflects on how the portrayal of masculinity has evolved in Bollywood, with alpha and hypermasculine heroes taking centre stage.

Comparing it with the ’90s, he says, “The scripts were alpha then. They were very strong character-wise. It was for the love of the country, the uniform, the mother, sister and family, and that was the alpha male. It’s a bit negative today probably because there is too much violence, as we want to make it as real and gruesome as possible. The ’90s films weren’t as gruesome. Sometimes, it’s difficult to even watch a complete action scene because of the blood and gore in it, and that’s the only thing that I don’t like about films today,” he ends.

They have made audiences laugh across three franchises and now the cult quartet is ready to take on the undead. mid-day had earlier reported that producer Firoz A Nadiadwallah was planning to reunite Paresh Rawal, Nana Patekar, Anil Kapoor, and Suniel Shetty, potentially for the fourth instalment of the Welcome franchise (More mischief in the making, March 8). Now, a source reveals that the foursome will reunite in director Ahmed Khan’s yet-untitled zombie comedy, headlined by Tiger Shroff.

The film will see the veteran actors reprise their iconic characters — Yeda Anna (Shetty), Uday Shetty (Patekar), Majnu Bhai (Kapoor), and Dr Ghunghroo (Rawal) — crowd favourites since Awara Paagal Deewana (2002), Welcome (2007) and Welcome Back (2015).

“While the movie is a horror-supernatural-drama, it is also a comedy as it will cater to all kinds of audiences, including children,” shares a source from the creative team. Nadiadwallah wants the film to be “a part of the family universe”.

While Kapoor and Patekar did not feature in Welcome To The Jungle, Rawal appeared as Das rather than Dr Ghunghroo. “The idea was to bring back their characters in some way as people love and miss them.”

Shroff’s action hero persona is certain to draw children to theatres, the source assures. “Tiger will play the main protagonist who fights the zombies. Children love and connect to him and that was a major reason for getting him on board.” The veteran actors are also “excited to play the 2.0, new-age versions” of their iconic characters.

“Firoz wants a grand, stylish, and larger-than-life look and feel of the film with ample VFX and comic doses. The film will be shot in UAE, Europe, and across India, and is expected to roll by end of the year. Once the scripting is complete, the heroines will be finalized,” adds the insider.

Having worked for the first time with the trio of actors Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty and Paresh Rawal, along with producer Firoz Nadiadwala, on the recent hit Welcome To The Jungle, director Ahmed Khan has built a strong rapport with the team. With the same team behind the Hera Pheri franchise, Khan opens up about the possibility of directing its third instalment after Priyadarshan stepped down from the director’s chair.

“That’s a spot which everybody would want to be in. Akshay, Suniel, Paresh, Firoz and Hera Pheri are like a family, and for me, I am a part of that cinema. So, whenever it is made, I am going to be a part of it, irrespective of whether I direct it or not. We will make it together,” he says.

Speaking on how the trio remains inseparable from their Hera Pheri characters, the 52-year-old says, “When I had all three of them in my film, I didn’t read them as Babu Rao, Shyam and Raju... But the audiences’ eyes are well tuned to see them as that. Their timing is still the same. Many times, I had to break it. That was my only battle with them,” he shares.

While confirming his association with the franchise, Khan also shares that his immediate priority is launching his son, Azaan Khan. “I am just concentrating on my son, who keeps looking at me with the question of when his chance is coming. I am focusing on his launch this year. I am also planning another big film which will be announced soon,” he ends.

Actor-producer Suniel Shetty has many memorable roles to his name on screen, but the role that has shaped him the most is the one he has played off screen — that of a parent. On Parents’ Day today, Suniel reflects on how becoming a father changed the way he looked at responsibility and the choices he made as an actor.

“When I became a father, I carried this image of an actor very responsibly. I made sure that I didn’t do films that I was gonna be embarrassed about tomorrow. Success and failure are not an embarrassment. It’s the roles that you do and that you regret is what embarrassment is all about, and that’s why I chose films which had national pride in it; pride of the uniform,” he says. Last year, Suniel stepped into the shoes of a father on screen too, as he played actor Khushi Kapoor’s dad in Nadaaniyan.

Speaking about being a parent to his children — actors Athiya Shetty, 33, and Ahan Shetty, 30 — Suniel believes that the responsibility of parenthood never truly ends, no matter how old children become.

“As a parent, you always have your children’s comfort in the back of your mind driving your decisions. So whether it’s career, health, or parenting, that is something that will always be a concern,” he says, adding, “That is the beauty of parenthood, the beauty of being a mom, dad, grandma or grandpa.”

For the 64-year-old, watching his children carve their own paths has been a source of pride. Athiya began her career as an actor in 2015 but chose to step away from the profession to focus on her family after marrying cricketer K L Rahul in 2023 and welcoming their daughter, Evaarah Vipula Rahul last year. Ahan, meanwhile, had a challenging start to his acting journey with Tadap (2021), but found renewed success this year with Border 2.

Suniel shares, “I’m very happy with the way they’ve conducted themselves, the way they’ve projected themselves and the impact that they have on people and kids their age. But that concern, love, and that feeling of wanting everything to be fairy tale-like for your children, that is something that’ll never change.”

Last week, Priyadarshan unveiled the first look of Haiwaan, showcasing Akshay Kumar and Saif Ali Khan in gritty avatars. After four back-to-back comedies, Kumar portrays a menacing antagonist in the movie. But what if we told you that the superstar wasn’t originally meant to be a part of Haiwaan? Priyadarshan revealed to mid-day that his original choice for the villain was Bobby Deol.

The filmmaker recalled, “When I narrated the film to Saif first, he asked me who would play the antagonist. I approached Bobby Deol, who wasn’t happy about his role, but I cannot blame him for that. I thought of Akshaye Khanna and told him that I wanted to narrate a story to him. He invited me over to meet him. I thought that if he refused, I would go to Suniel Shetty. [Before I met Akshaye], I mentioned the film to Akshay casually while shooting for Bhooth Bangla. After I narrated the story to him, he told me, ‘Why can’t I do the movie?’”

Priyadarshan hadn’t initially considered Kumar as he felt the role would go completely against the superstar’s current image of a humorous, happy-go-lucky guy. But the actor was certain that he wanted to bet on the role. The filmmaker added, “Akshay loved the character. While we were shooting, Saif told me, ‘By doing this role against me, Akshay has given me the best gift’.”

Comedy may be the filmmaker’s forte, but with Haiwaan, he is glad to shift gears. He said, “Some people have assumed Haiwaan is a comedy; it’s not. It’s about a cat-and-mouse game between the hunter and the hunted. I am returning to an action thriller after 16 years, and it’s one of the slickest movies I have ever made.”

Although Suniel Shetty was initially hesitant about joining Welcome To The Jungle, today, the actor is happy he did a rethink. Ahmed Khan’s directorial venture has reportedly crossed the Rs 50 crore mark over its first weekend.

“Initially I was skeptical about doing it as I wasn’t sure whether justice could be done to so many actors,” said Shetty of the ensemble film that has a principal cast of 30-plus actors. “I knew the script was over-the-top but because I was comfortable with my producer Firoz A Nadiadwallah and Ahmed, I said yes to it.” 

Many have drawn parallels between Welcome To The Jungle — also starring Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Raveena Tandon, and Disha Patani, among others — and Ben Stiller’s Tropic Thunder (2008) where a film crew’s shoot in the jungle turns into a real-life combat operation.

The comparisons don’t affect Shetty, who reasoned, “Comparisons will keep happening. What makes a difference is the writing, performances, the director’s vision, and our belief that over-the-top, brain rot cinema will also work. We are nobody to judge. Audiences have enjoyed Welcome To The Jungle.”

After the laugh riot, the senior actor is shifting gears to the action thriller, Hitman. In the Sachin Ravi-directed offering, Shetty plays a mentor to Tiger Shroff’s character. Chatter suggests that Shetty’s role has grey shades — something that he remained tight-lipped about, only saying, “I cannot say anything till the producer announces it. Grey is always good, but black never is.”

Suniel Shetty noted that making comedy films is as important as doing spectacle films like ‘Dhurandhar’. “I love Aditya Dhar’s cinema. For me, entertainment is [a movie] that appeals to kids and families. The way they are going to the theatres for ‘Welcome To The Jungle’ speaks for itself,” he said.

What would be a filmmaker’s biggest hurdle? The script? The shoot? Action? Humour? For Ahmed Khan, it was simply getting the calendars of the 30-plus actors to align. That challenge stretched Welcome To The Jungle into a two-and-a-half-year shoot, making it one of the most ambitious ensemble comedies.

“It was an ambitious project from the word go. In India, ambition means getting the cast and their dates,” Khan tells mid-day, on the eve of the film’s release. “Every actor was busy with other films and every character in this film is important. That’s why it took us two-and-a-half years to complete.” 

Having previously worked with much of the cast as a choreographer made communication easier. But Khan admits that being “loud and dominating” on set probably helped him keep everyone together.

If assembling the cast was one challenge, stepping into a franchise originally helmed by Anees Bazmee was another. Khan, however, says he never felt the need to seek the filmmaker’s approval before taking over.

“We’re all friends, but professionally every director can make any film. Anees bhai doesn’t need me to explain how to make an action film and I don’t need anyone to explain comedy to me. A director is a director. Give him a script and he’ll make a film.”

He believes a change in the captainship gives a franchise a fresh identity, a “new vision, and thought”. “Otherwise everyone would keep making the same thing over and over again. It’s like shifting into a new house. You don’t call the previous owner and ask where he kept the sofa. The house is the same, but you’ll arrange the furniture your own way,” explains Khan.

For the director, mounting a large-scale entertainer was also a way of giving back to the exhibition business. “I can make a small action film and make it a hit, but it’s our duty to give back to theatres.”

Ahmed Khan credits Akshay Kumar and Suniel Shetty for backing the film and easing the production’s financial burden. “What Akshay and Suniel did for this film is unbeatable. They simply said, ‘Picture achhi banao. Picture kamayegi, we’ll take from that.’ They didn’t say, ‘I’ve rendered my services, now pay me’.”

As Welcome To The Jungle gears up for release, one of its biggest talking points is the reunion of Akshay Kumar and Raveena Tandon, who share screen space for the first time in 22 years. The former co-stars, whose off-screen relationship was among Bollywood’s most discussed romances in the 1990s, have come together thanks to director Ahmed Khan.

Speaking about the casting coup, Khan told mid-day that his decades-long friendship with both actors helped make it possible. “Both Raveena and Akshay have been such good friends of mine. We have known each other for over 30 years and because we go back so long, we know what has happened in each other’s lives.”

Was it challenging to bring rumoured ex-lovers back together for a film? The filmmaker took up the task as a “fan service.” He said, “People will want to see Raveena and Akshay together, so why not do fan service?”. He added that Akshay in fact encouraged him to cast whoever suited the role best.

According to Khan, Raveena had no reservations when she learnt Akshay was already part of the project. “She said, ‘So what? We are all actors and grown up. We are all friends and we will have a blast on the sets,’” he recalled.

While Kumar and Tandon are not paired romantically in Welcome To The Jungle, they share several scenes and a song choreographed by Rahul Shetty and Prince Gupta. The reunion is particularly nostalgic given that the duo delivered some of Hindi cinema’s most enduring hits, including Tu Cheez Badi Hai Mast Mast and Tip Tip Barsa Paani from Mohra (1994).

Recalling the shoot, Khan revealed, “There is a sequence of Akshay and Raveena dancing together. The whole set clapped. Suniel Shetty, who also starred in Mohra, came in and said, ‘Arre, mere Mohra ki jodi aa gayi’.”

Ahmed Khan says, “It’s a small industry and everybody grows over their past and moves on. Off set, Raveena and Akshay were friends only — joking, having fun, and talking about their kids. We reminisced about the past and work from earlier movies”

Ahmed Khan’s directorial venture is nearing the finish line. At the end of March, mid-day reported that producer Firoz A Nadiadwallah had deferred a song shoot in Dubai amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia (Welcome to Plan B — March 31). However, the director-producer duo remain keen to film in Dubai to capture a luxe lifestyle — and to shoot at least Suniel Shetty’s entry sequence in Welcome To The Jungle, alongside Arshad Warsi, Paresh Rawal, Johnny Lever, and Rajpal Yadav.

The plan is now locked. The cast will fly to Dubai in mid-May to film the sequence. “Suniel’s introduction scene will be one of the most expensive [sets] in the movie, shot over three days,” a source reveals. The makers want Shetty’s entry to echo Feroz Khan’s iconic introduction in Welcome (2007). 

“Suniel plays a loveable don. The scene will be shot mid-sea, onboard a 200-foot sleek yacht with a helipad. Suniel and Arshad will get down from the helicopter and meet [the others].”

The producer, in fact, insisted on shooting in Dubai. “It’s one of the most important scenes in the movie. The team also felt that only Dubai suited the ambience and mood we wanted for this universal family entertainer,” explains Nadiadwallah. Shetty, whose association with Dubai dates back 35 years, says he “feels  safe safe and secure in Dubai”.

“We will be shooting a grand sequence there in May. I am very excited to work with Firoz bhai,” the actor shares.

Alongside shooting the film, Suniel Shetty will host a business reality series, ‘Falcons Of Majlis’, which is “an investment-driven show similar to ‘Shark Tank’. I believe that Dubai will be back to its glory [soon]. Praying that peace comes to the world soon,” he adds.

The ripple effects of the West Asia conflict can be felt the world over, including in the Hindi film industry. On March 30, mid-day reported that the Dubai schedule of Shah Rukh Khan’s King had to scrapped (When war affects the King’s strategy, Mar 30). Now, the latest film to call off its Dubai shoot is the Akshay Kumar-starrer Welcome To The Jungle. Director Ahmed Khan was to take his ensemble comedy to the emirate for a song shoot, but is now reimagining it in Mumbai.

Postponing the track’s filming was out of the question as it includes the entire primary cast — Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Arshad Warsi, Raveena Tandon, Jackie Shroff, Paresh Rawal, Lara Dutta Bhupathi, Disha Patani, Jacqueline Fernandez, Shreyas Talpade, and many others — and getting their combination dates a second time over would have been difficult. So, the director did the next best thing. 

A source revealed, “Elaborate sets will be put up in Madh Island, Golden Tobacco Studio, and Film City in Goregaon. Created by production designer Sailesh Mahadik, the sets will depict night clubs, casinos, and private jets. Ahmed and producer Firoz A Nadiadwallah essentially imagined it as a glamorous song that shows how the rich live the good life. That’s why Dubai would have been the perfect location. The unit waited for a month for things to settle down there, but when they didn’t, they shifted the location.”

Khan will begin the song shoot on April 15. Confirming the location shift, the director told mid-day, “We will now shoot the song in Mumbai. It’s a glamorous song with the entire cast.”

Reports have been rife that producer Firoz Nadiadwala is set to kickstart the fourth installment of the popular comedy franchise Welcome, even before it's threequel Welcome To The Jungle releases in the theatres.

Speaking to us, Nadiadwala confirmed that Welcome 4 is indeed in the works. "We are in the advanced stages of scripting and we will let you know earliest," he confirms to Bombay Times, and adds, "However, I can say that the music and action that we are planning is going to be massive. We have thought of multi-cultural music with heads coming together from across continents like the Middle East, Africa, USA, and China. The coming together of Uday bhai, Majnu Bhai, Dr. Ghungroo and more than one dons (there will be more than one antagonist) is probably going to be like 10 on the Richter scale. We are working towards locking them. Keeping the actors in mind, we are scripting and writing the scenes accordingly."

The original Welcome, directed by Anees Bazmee, starred Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Anil Kapoor and Nana Patekar. Its sequel Welcome Back, also directed by Bazmee, saw Rawal, Kapoor and Patekar reprise their roles. For the third installment, Welcome To The Jungle, directed by Ahmed Khan, Kumar has rejoined the franchise alongside the returning cast. It remains unclear whether he will headline the fourth film.

The upcoming third film boasts a massive ensemble cast. Over the past few months, multiple reports have arrived about the movie getting delayed. Addressing these rumours for the first time, Nadiadwala says, "They were rumours for a reason. That's the difference between a fact and a rumor."

He adds, "I would like to say the movie is complete and the entire credit goes to the team which is headed by Mr. Akshay Kumar, Paresh Rawal, Arshad Warsi and Suniel Shetty and Mr. Ahmed Khan. They are the one along with the entire cast and crew who made it happen. It's not a small thing both in terms of planning it on a creative aspect, budgetary, expect logistical aspect and then finally to carry it all out. It is not an easy task to shoot with several army helicopters and hundreds of horses. For one of the songs we shot in Dubai, we used multi high end cars which cost at around 400 crores. But the movie is finished now, and is releasing on June 26th."

Director Ahmed Khan has brought Welcome To The Jungle to the finish line. Well, almost. All that’s left is the shoot of an elaborate song featuring the ensemble cast, including Akshay Kumar, Suniel Shetty, Raveena Tandon, Disha Patani, Jackie Shroff, and Arshad Warsi. We’ve heard that Khan called action on the song earlier this week, and intends to conclude the shoot in 10 days.

Sources close to the unit describe it as a high-energy celebratory number. An expansive set depicting a jungle has been built at Bahubali Studios in Borivali for the track, choreographed by Adil Shaikh.

“Shooting a song with so many stars isn’t easy. Every actor has their moment in the song. Before beginning filming on February 17, extensive rehearsals were conducted so that principal actors and background dancers move seamlessly through the frame without disrupting camera continuity. It will be used as a post-credit track,” revealed a source.

After this leg, Welcome To The Jungle will move to post-production.

Over the past few days, Suniel Shetty has been poring over the pages of Black Scorpion - To Hell And Back. And it’s not just for leisure. mid-day has exclusively learnt that the actor is planning to turn the recently published book — which chronicles the life of Shyam Kishore Garikapati, one of the most feared operatives in Mumbai’s underworld in the late 1980s and 1990s — into a web series.

In some ways, Garikapati’s life has all that you need for a true crime thriller. Authored by veteran crime journalists Vijay Shekhar, Raju Santhanam, and Calvin Joshua, Black Scorpion revisits how Garikapati got pulled into gang wars and moved through the inner circles of Dawood Ibrahim, Arun Gawli, and more.

A source revealed, “Suniel thinks the story has the potential to be a thrilling web series. He likes such subjects. What makes the story more interesting is how Garikapati — known in the police circles as Black Scorpion — turned his life around after meeting top cop Kiran Bedi in Tihar Jail and eventually became a businessman.”

The actor, who is in talks with the authors for adaptation rights, may play the titular role. Co-author Joshua confirmed the development, saying, “When Suniel Anna read the synopsis, he was fascinated by the arc. He decided to not only unveil the book, but also pursue the rights to adapt it into a series.” Shekhar added that the star has been “a mentor” to him since they first met on the sets of Waqt Hamara Hai (1993).

At 16, Garikapati was on the brink of joining the Indian Air Force. But he got pulled into gang wars and moved through the inner circles of Dawood Ibrahim, Arun Gawli, and more. As a prisoner in Tihar Jail, he met top cop Kiran Bedi. That set him on a path of reform, and he eventually became a businessman.

Legions of fans have flocked to the theatres to watch Border 2 since its release. Yet, one person has quietly stayed away from the Sunny Deol, Diljit Dosanjh, Varun Dhawan, and Ahan Shetty-starrer — Suniel Shetty. Last week, even as Suniel attended the première of his son’s war drama, he was seen hanging outside the auditorium, while his wife Mana Shetty, daughter Athiya, and son-in-law K L Rahul watched the movie with Ahan.

“I sat for three-and-a-half hours outside the theatre, meeting people and soaking in all the compliments,” he smiled, recalling the evening.

Some may be baffled by his decision. But others may identify with Suniel, seeing how his deep desire for his son’s success led him to make a vow. “I had said from Day One that I will not watch Border 2 until it crosses a worldwide collection of Rs. 500 crore. I had kept a mannat for Ahan. Till now, I haven’t watched a single frame. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not arrogance about the film,” shared the senior actor, who had played Assistant Commandant Bhairon Singh Rathore in the 1997 original directed by J P Dutta.

What happens if director Anurag Singh’s latest instalment — which depicts a chapter of the 1971 India-Pakistan war — falls short of the figure? Suniel is hopeful that a father’s prayers will not go unanswered.

“I am hoping it will cross Rs 500 crore. Mana loved Border 2. Everybody who has watched the film has appreciated Ahan’s work. I am happy that after Dhurandhar [2025], another Hindi movie has worked brilliantly.”

Hopefully it will be a matter of time before the proud father can watch the movie on the big screen. He has already made plans for the big day.

“I will watch it with Ahan, his friends, and my family. I will also take Sunny paaji, Varun, and all of them with me. It will probably be the second time for them, but it will be my first. I don’t know how many times I will watch it after that. I have always been proud of Ahan and his decisions. He strongly believed that Border 2 was the film he wanted to do.”

When Suniel Shetty and Ahan Shetty sit down together, the conversation is as much about cinema as it is about courage and strength — to be vulnerable, to withstand judgment, and to allow each other the freedom to fall, rise, unlearn and recharge. On the Bombay Times Lounge, Suniel brings his trademark candour and talks about the dangers of both success and failure, while Ahan reflects on carrying a celebrated surname without letting it define or confine him. The full, unfiltered conversation drops tonight on the Bombay Times YouTube Channel, offering a rare, intimate look at what it means to stand tall together under the spotlight. Excerpts:

Ahan: Dad shows his vulnerable side, not just at home, even outside. He shows his emotions; he is who he is, and that’s why people love him.

Suniel: You have to be vulnerable, as that’s the side of you that your kids see, else you will be putting up a façade. At the recent Border 2 event, if I got teary-eyed, that was the father in me. That moment mattered to me most when Ahan came next to me and placed his hand on my back – that’s when my emotions flowed. When it comes to your children, I think parents are most vulnerable and become a completely different person.

Suniel: That is the scary part. I have told my kids that I know you’ll see success and handle it, but will you be able to handle failure? Because it’s a ruthless world out there. It’s a virtual world. Abuse is abuse. And being first and not right is what news is often all about. And that can destroy an individual. So, I tell my kids to be ready for that. Make sure that notifications and approval are not what your life is all about. Cut off when you have to. Engage, let people know what you are up to and then disconnect.

Ahan: It is hard. But I think we’ve grown up in an environment where dad kept us away from everything, so Athiya and I had a world beyond movies. A lot of my friends are not from the industry, and I think that is very important to have before you step into a career like this. You need to be grounded. You need to have those friends who tell you, “Hey, relax!”

Suniel: That’s the sad part about sports, cinema and politics. You’re in the public eye and have to constantly prove yourself. We’ve got another kid at home (K L Rahul) who is a cricketer and has to constantly prove himself. They (Athiya, K L and Ahan) sit together and share things. It’s important to have a family that can actually tell you what it is to handle the highs and lows. We talk about individuals and freedom. I think what we need is the joint family system, where the family can help you handle the highs and lows in life because both could be dangerous at times.

Ahan: She’s my go-to person for anything and everything. I’ve seen her grow and mature so much more throughout this journey of motherhood. It’s surreal for me to see her in that way.

Suniel: It is tough. It is his journey, his choice of films and I’m absolutely fine with that. But apart from that, if you’re going to take a potshot at my son, I’d sit down once, I’d sit down twice, then I’m a Shetty boy and old school is old school. I will not let go. I will take you on. I will take you on the way you want me to take you on, because I’m clean and honest here, and also fearless. It’s only when you are honest that you are fearless. That’s the way it is going to be. I didn’t interfere during his debut film, Tadap, even once, nor did I say I want to see even one frame of Border 2 during its making. For this film, only when they told me to be there at an event, I was there. It’s my son’s film, so it’s my film and I’ll do it. It’s his journey, of course, I will keep guiding him whenever he needs me, as my years of experience have taught me a lot.

Ahan: At times, I do, even Athiya does, and we tell him. I think she is more assertive. We know how far he can go for someone, and we know how much he can do for a person, so it’s like we have to hold him back.

Ahan: We definitely have, maybe it will happen when the time is right. I’ve taken that step in a way, by being a part of Border 2, and being a part of an iconic film franchise that my father was a part of.

Ahan: Carrying my father’s legacy forward is very important to me. Obviously, I have his name, and I want to carry forward that name. The pressure is there and will always be there, but I try not to focus on that. A lot of people on social media say, ‘You’ll never be like your father.’ I know I’ll never be like him. I can’t compare myself to him and I won’t. This is my journey. I just hope that I can be true to myself and be honest in terms of my performances and with the people around me.

Two generations. One powerful surname. And a story that goes far beyond the movies. Suniel Shetty— one of Hindi cinema’s original action heroes, known for his discipline, grit and integrity, and Ahan Shetty — a bright, young actor finding his voice in an industry driven by clicks, commentary and constant comparison. Our next guests on the Bombay Times Lounge are the father–son duo, sitting down for a rare, unfiltered conversation — moving from Border to Border 2, from fame to family, from nepotism to self-belief. This isn’t just about a surname. It’s about the family behind it and the bonds that tie them. The promo drops today. Here’s a sneak peek into the conversation. Watch out for the full episode coming soon on the Bombay Times YouTube channel.

“We always want our kids to be happy, and I am not talking about success. I’m scared of failure in the industry and not of success. In other fields, when you fall, you get up and start walking. Here, when you fall, the world looks at you, and they make you feel that you’re nothing. People feel that Hindi film actors are illiterate; they don’t know anything. We know a lot and we are smart. In today’s times, failure is sometimes more celebrated than success. It’s a fact.”

“Today, people just react to what they see in a 2-3 second clip. That’s what’s happening in my generation. We’re being put up against each other. I know there are comparisons between Ahaan Panday and me. I know that guy. I know how hard he’s worked for his film and everything that he’s done to prepare for it. There’s no competition between us. We have our own careers. There is so much love and respect amongst each other and that is what needs to come out. We’re all one industry. Social media has created a divide and that’s why you don’t see so much support for one another.”

“Has anybody seen the film (Border 2)? Nobody has seen the film. We’ve seen glimpses of the film. Varun Dhawan will kill it in the film, he’s outstanding. Varun is not playing himself; he is playing a decorated officer who’s given his life for the country. So, I think we should think a little bit before we go out there and say these things. Today, it’s very easy to trash someone and run them down.”

Talking about self-belief and dignity, Suniel says, "I am who I am, but my attitude depends on who you are. You treat me right, and I treat you like a god and a goddess. If you don’t, then you don’t even exist for me in a room. And that’s my approach to everything today. That’s the confidence I go with. I tell everybody that all of you have that in you. Bring out the ‘X’ factor in you and see the difference."

“It’s been a long journey since Tadap came out in 2021. It’s definitely not been easy. I mean, the whole nepotism debate comes up a lot. I’ve always accepted it. My father is an actor, and I wanted to be an actor. I think it is important to stay focused on what you want to do and not let the noise around you affect you too much. I focus on giving my director and producer my 200 per cent.”

“I’m very close to a lot of the actors in the industry. But at the same time, it’s not that I socialise with them. That respect is there from a work perspective and for the kind of individual that they are. If you tell me that ‘X’ is not a good person, that means nothing to me. It is my judgment of the person that matters. I don’t judge; we never judge. At home, we don’t talk about careers at all, we talk about character. It is about how you behave, whether it is Rahul, Athiya or Ahan.”

“Right now, our world and all our conversations at home revolve around Evaarah (Athiya’s daughter). She’s brought us closer and we even went on a family trip together after 15 years. Dad’s mornings begin with Evaarah – playing with her, feeding her. In the evening, all of us get together at home with her. It’s all about her.”

Ask Ahan which films of his father’s he would want to be a part of, and he says, "I’d love to be a part of Hera Pheri, I love that franchise. Fortunately, I am part of Border 2, which was one of dad’s films that I have always been inspired by."

After the makers of Border 2 released the heart-gutting Ghar Kab Aaoge last week, another song, Jaate Hue Lamhon, is set to be unveiled soon. With its music steeped in nostalgia, the film has begun to resonate across generations. Taking the promotional campaign beyond conventional venues, the makers are now set to launch the song at a location of military significance in Mumbai, with Suniel Shetty joining the team for the event, followed by a high-profile trailer launch aboard the INS Vikrant.

Today, the Border 2 team will unveil Jaate Hue Lamhon, a Roop Kumar Rathod number, composed by Mithoon — at a large-scale event in Mumbai’s Navy Nagar. It is a highly restricted Indian Navy residential cantonment at the southern tip of Colaba, housing naval personnel and their families.

For the first time, Suniel Shetty will join the event along with his son Ahaan and the rest of the Border 2 team. A source tells mid-day, “The film’s team is making sure that the movie is marketed in the best ways possible and spread over various army bases thus giving them the importance they deserve as Border 2 is about the valour and bravery of our armed forces.”

Except for Diljit Dosanjh, who is touring the US for his shows, the entire cast and crew will be present at the event. Army personnel and their families are expected to attend the event. Roop Kumar Rathod is even expected to sing the song live.

The film’s trailer will be launched aboard the INS Vikrant which was deployed to the Arabian Sea during Operation Sindoor last year. Along with other warships, INS Vikrant also took part in Operation Sagar Bandhu providing disaster relief to Sri Lanka which was hit by Cyclone Ditwah.

“Ahaan’s character in Border 2, Lt Cdr MS Rawat takes part in several key naval missions of the Indo-Pak war of 1971 as he is the Commanding Officer of a naval ship.”

Even as the fourth season of The Great Indian Kapil Show began streaming over the weekend, its third edition has landed comedian Kapil Sharma and the makers in trouble. Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) India, the country’s oldest copyright licensing organization, has moved the Bombay High Court against Sharma, the producers of the comedy reality show, and Netflix India, alleging copyright infringement through the unauthorized use of songs on the popular comedy series.

According to the commercial intellectual property suit filed on December 12, a copy of which is in mid-day’s possession, three episodes aired between June 21 and September 20 are in contention. One featured actors Sidharth Malhotra and Janhvi Kapoor, in which the song M Bole To from Munna Bhai MBBS (2003) was used, while another with Sanjay Dutt and Suniel Shetty played the track, Rama Re, from Kaante (2002). The final episode, featuring Akshay Kumar, used the number Subha Hone Na De from the actor’s movie Desi Boyz (2011). 

In the suit, PPL India has claimed these uses amount to “public performance/communication to the public” under the Copyright Act, 1957, requiring a licence from the rights holder. Stating that no such licence was sought or granted, it has accused K9 Films Pvt Ltd and BeingU Studios Pvt Ltd, the production houses behind the show, of copyright infringement. The suit also notes that the show is first recorded in front of a live audience, where the music is audibly performed, and only later streamed on Netflix, compounding the alleged infringement.

Before this, PPL India had issued a cease-and-desist notice to the producers on November 6. “However, only a holding reply has been received, and the defendants have not stopped playing the plaintiff’s sound recordings,” states the plaint.

The organization has now appealed to the High Court to restrain the defendants from using its copyrighted sound recordings without a licence, to order disclosure of revenues earned through the alleged illegal use, and to appoint a court receiver to seize infringing material. The matter is expected to come up at the Bombay High Court’s commercial division.

mid-day reached out to Sharma and PPL India. Both didn’t respond till press time.

If J P Dutta’s Border (1997) chronicled the Battle Of Longewala of the 1971 India-Pakistan war, its upcoming sequel Border 2 will focus on several chapters of the same war. Its subject aside, another element binds the two movies.

mid-day has exclusively learnt that director Anurag Singh’s drama — led by Sunny Deol, Diljit Dosanjh, Varun Dhawan, and Ahan Shetty — will have appearances by Akshaye Khanna, Suniel Shetty, and Sudesh Berry, who played significant roles in the original.

Khanna played Second Lieutenant Dharamvir Singh Bhakhri, Suniel, Assistant Commandant Bhairon Singh Rathore, and Berry was Naib Subedar Mathura Das. In the narrative, all three characters were killed in action.

A source revealed, “Since Border 2 is also set against the backdrop of the 1971 India-Pakistan war, the characters from the original film will serve as their peers. Anurag and producer-writer Nidhi Dutta felt bringing the heroic characters from the 1997 war drama would make it a memorable experience. So, they incorporated this segment. The characters from the old and new films will cross paths at an event before the 1971 war begins. It’s a great idea as it not only brings the father-son duo of Suniel and Ahan on screen, but also harks back to the much loved movie.”

Apparently, the original plan was to shoot the sequence earlier this year in Pune. However, things did not work out due to the unavailability of combination dates of the concerned actors, and other logistics. 

The source added, “In November, Akshaye and Sudesh filmed their portions in Mumbai. Suniel has been shooting for a new project in which he sports a distinct look. So, his parts were shot against a green screen, and will require special effects. All three actors will be de-aged in keeping with their Border avatars.”

mid-day reached out to producer Bhushan Kumar, who remained unavailable for comment.