In a candid and emotionally charged interview, Bollywood veteran Suniel Shetty has spoken out against what he describes as a “deliberate and malicious” smear campaign targeting his son, actor Ahan Shetty.
The younger Shetty, who is currently working on Border 2 - a sequel to the iconic 1997 war film in which Suniel played a defining role - is allegedly facing industry backlash for prioritising the patriotic project over other film offers.
Suniel Shetty on ‘smear campaign’ against son Ahan
Speaking to Zoom Entertainment, Suniel Shetty warned that he would not stay silent if the negativity continues, and made it clear that he would expose the individuals responsible for sabotaging Ahan’s career.
“If this continues, I will hold a press conference and expose each and every person’s name. Jiski dhajjiyan udani hain, uda dunga. That child’s obsession is Border,” he declared.
According to Shetty, Ahan had several film offers on the table but chose Border 2 due to its emotional and national significance. Suniel revealed that he advised his son to treat the film as if it were his final role - so lasting and iconic is the legacy of the original Border, which continues to be revisited on national holidays like Independence Day and Republic Day.
“He missed out on a lot because of the ego of others. He was thrown out of those films, and he was blamed for it in the press. They said that he has a 10-person entourage; people paid lots of money to get negative articles written about him,” said Suniel.
What particularly angers Shetty is the suggestion that Ahan maintains a large entourage - something he attributes to jealousy from those upset over the younger actor’s decision to prioritise Border 2. Suniel suggested that the negativity was orchestrated to damage Ahan’s image and pave the way for competing projects.
Dismissing any claims of entitlement or nepotism, Suniel added, “I still pay for my own food. I spend my own money to this day, not the producer’s. And that’s how Ahan has been raised. Do you think I don’t have connections? Do you think I can’t do the same thing?”
About Border 2
Border 2 was announced on June 13, 2024. It was revealed that Sunny Deol will be returning in the sequel. The film will be helmed by Kesari director Anurag Singh, and will also feature Varun Dhawan, Diljit Dosanjh, Ahan Shetty, and Kapil Sharma, in the lead roles.
The film is scheduled to release on Republic Day 2026.
