Suniel Shetty says children can pursue their own dreams without letting go of the family legacy.
Shetty said the family’s journey began with those years of hard work. “As a parent, you always have your children’s comfort in the back of your mind driving your decisions,” he said. He has also recalled his father’s early struggles, saying his father began working at a very young age, cleaning tables and sleeping in a rice sack before eventually building his own business and property. “So whether it’s career, health, or parenting, that is something that will always be a concern and that is the beauty of parenthood. His own story began with a family that worked in the restaurant business, while his career eventually took him into films, fitness and entrepreneurship. The lesson he appears to draw from that journey is that children can build something of their own without necessarily discarding what their parents spent years creating.
The actor’s own understanding of family business comes from personal experience. His father eventually started his own restaurant and built a business that became the foundation for the family.
In an earlier conversation, Shetty recalled that his father had started working at a South Indian restaurant as a child after coming to Mumbai.
After his debut in Balwaan in 1992, he recalled being harshly criticised for his acting.
Some critics, he said, called him a “doorknob” and suggested that he return to his family restaurant to sell idlis and vadas. Shetty has also spoken about how the same family background was once used against him when he entered Bollywood. But Shetty did not see the restaurant as something to be ashamed of.