Suniel Shetty (born Sunil V. Shetty; 11 August 1961) is an Indian actor, film producer, television personality and entrepreneur who is predominantly active in Hindi films. In a career spanning almost 30 years, he has acted in over 100 films.He is the owner of the production house Popcorn Entertainment Private Limited. He has produced a number of films including Khel – No Ordinary Game, Rakht and Bhagam Bhag, under the banner of Popcorn Motion Pictures.

Career

He was one of the highest paid Bollywood actors in the 1990s. He was one of the highest paid Bollywood actors in the 1990s. He was involved primarily in action films throughout the 1990s, playing the male protagonist in most of the movies he acted in during the decade. From early 2000, he appeared mainly in multi-starrers in across genres.He also starred opposite Isha Koppikar in Arjun Rampal's debut movie ''Pyaar Ishq Aur Mohabbat'' (2001). In 2014, he changed the spelling of his name from Sunil to Suniel for numerological reasons. He even played negative roles in movies, including He even played negative roles in movies, including ''Dhadkan'' (2000), ''Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani'' (2002), ''Karz: The Burden of Truth'' (2002), ''Khel – No Ordinary Game'' (2003), ''Baaz: A Bird in Danger'' (2003), ''Main Hoon Na'' (2004), ''Rudraksh'' (2004), ''Cash'', ''No Problem'' (2010), ''Enemmy'' (2013), and ''A Gentleman'' (2017).In 2005, on the eve of the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's 61st birth anniversary, the Mumbai Pradesh Youth Congress honoured Shetty with the Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Award. ''Dhadkan'' (2000), ''Jaani Dushman: Ek Anokhi Kahani'' (2002), ''Karz: The Burden of Truth'' (2002), ''Khel – No Ordinary Game'' (2003), ''Baaz: A Bird in Danger'' (2003), ''Main Hoon Na'' (2004), ''Rudraksh'' (2004), ''Cash'', ''No Problem'' (2010), ''Enemmy'' (2013), and ''A Gentleman'' (2017).In 2005, on the eve of the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi's 61st birth anniversary, the Mumbai Pradesh Youth Congress honoured Shetty with the Rajiv Gandhi National Quality Award.Shetty won the Filmfare Award for Best Villain in 2001 for ''Dhadkan''. In 2009, Shetty bagged South Asian International Film Festival's Best Actor Award for his role in Naxalites based Indian movie ''Red Alert''.The actor has entrepreneurial ventures as well. He produced films such as ''Khel – No Ordinary Game'', ''Rakht'' and ''Bhagam Bhag'' under the banner of Popcorn Motion Pictures. In 2009, Shetty bagged South Asian International Film Festival's Best Actor Award for his role in Naxalites based Indian movie ''Red Alert''.The actor has entrepreneurial ventures as well. He produced films such as ''Khel – No Ordinary Game'', ''Rakht'' and ''Bhagam Bhag'' under the banner of Popcorn Motion Pictures.Along with Mukesh Chhabra, he has also started an online casting company, F...the Couch (FTC). FTC is a digital platform that discovers new talent in Bollywood provides a platform to new artists to make a place for themselves in Bollywood. Apart from being part of this project, Shetty has also been actively involved in realty and restaurant business.In 2021, Shetty appeared in the Sanjay Gupta's gangster drama film ''Mumbai Saga''. He was last seen in film in Kiran Korrapati directed ''Ghani'' (2020).In 2023, Shetty portrayed ACP Vikram Chauhan in ''Hunter Tootega Nahi Todega'', an action thriller web series that follows his character's journey into the dark alleys of Mumbai's crime world.

Other work

In 2019, Shetty invested an undisclosed amount in a Pune-based online health and fitness start up Fittr. Its founder Jitendra Chouksey launched Fittr in January 2016 as a community on Facebook to address the challenges in the fitness industry. Fittr now claims of over 100,000 fitness transformations, and a highly engaged community of 550,000 members. The platform's mobile app has been downloaded more than 500,000 times since September 2018.Shetty has appeared as a host for India's leading fitness reality shows ''Biggest Loser Jeetega'' on Sahara One. and''India's Asli Champion Hai dam?'' on &TV. and''India's Asli Champion Hai dam?'' on &TV.The actor owns Mischief Dining Bar and Club H2O, in Mumbai. Both the places are running successfully. He co-owns the water adventure park attached to cafe H2O. He closed down Mischief Bar in 2010, and instead opened a new restaurant called Little Italy. The restaurant was first owned by his father when it was an Udupi restaurant, Suniel then changed the restaurant into a bar, and then back into a restaurant with the different name with his father's blessings.Suniel Shetty is captain of the Mumbai Heroes cricket team in the Celebrity Cricket League. He is also the co-founder of Ferit Cricket Bash that was launched in December 2018.Suniel Shetty was participant in the Hiru Golden Film Awards 2014 and 2016 in Sri Lanka as a special guest.He started his luxury furniture and home lifestyle store in Mumbai, Worli in 2013 with his wife Mana.Shetty is the brand ambassador of HYPE Luxury, a luxury mobility platform that offers luxury cars, yachts, and private jets for rent.

Brand ambassador

Shetty is the brand ambassador of HYPE Luxury, a luxury mobility platform that offers luxury cars, yachts, and private jets for rent.

Personal life

They have two children, a daughter Athiya Shetty and a son Ahan Shetty.Both Athiya and Ahan have made their acting debuts respectively, Athiya in the film ''Hero'' (2015) and Ahan in Sajid Nadiadwala's film ''Tadap (2021), the'' Hindi remake of Telugu film RX 100. Mana runs an NGO for under-privileged kids. Athiya married Indian cricketer KL Rahul on 23 January 2023.Shetty has a black belt in kickboxing. He owns clothing boutiques as well as restaurants specialising in Udupi cuisine.