Wed 13 Aug 2008
I’m proud to be 47, says Suniel Shetty
Posted by admin under Bollywood News , Suneil ShettyNo Comments
Actor-producer Suniel Shetty, who has just turned 47, says he is proud that he doesn’t look his age, thanks to his strict exercise regime.
“I’m not the least ashamed of being almost 50 because I know I don’t look it. I’d like to think my physical fitness and my health consciousness would inspire more people once they know how old I actually I am. Therefore, yes, I can say proudly I am 47 and almost 50,” said Suniel, who celebrated his birthday Monday.
Suniel has instilled a fitness consciousness in not only his close friends and family but a lot of other people.
“When I see 60-year old folks in my building working out, taking care of themselves and looking out for their diet, I feel very proud. Somewhere I’d like to think I pioneered a movement towards staying healthy and fit in people around me.”
So what did the fitness conscious actor do on his birthday?
“I brought it in with a dinner with my wife, two kids and my parents. They insisted on a cake and all. I was embarrassed but of course pleased. Thank god for family, yaar!
“On Monday I planned to head to our home in Lonavala for the day, but it got so rainy that we just decided to stay home and spend my birthday indoors chatting, eating, playing games. I can’t think of a better way to spend my birthday.”
The actor admitted that he broke all his diet rules on his birthday.
“I pigged the whole day. My wife Mana was aghast. I told her to chill because I intend to go on an even stricter food regime after my birthday.”
Suniel, who is currently shooting for Anant Mahadevan’s politically motivated “Red Alert”, Indra Kumar’s comedy “Daddy Kool” and Kabeer Sadanand’s romantic drama “Tum Milo To Sahi”, has lots of plans for the coming year.
“My production house Popcorn Entertainment is preparing many projects … all big. And I don’t mean only big in terms of budget. Whether it’s ‘EMI’ with Sanjay Dutt or ‘Little Godfather’ featuring a cast of unknown street kids, every film of mine is big in vision and scope.
“One thing I’m very sure of. I won’t act in my own productions. ‘Mission Istanbul’ was the last film that I produced and acted in.”
His last co-production, Shootout at Lokhandwala, did fairly well, which may be why Suniel Shetty is all the more charged up about the soon-to-be-released Mission Istanbul. The decision to produce the film was apparently taken by him during the shoot of Shootout at Lokhandwala. Director Apoorva Lakhia came up with the script and Suniel was so impressed, he immediately agreed. It seems the macho man is also doing a cameo. Why didn’t he ask for a full-fledged role in his own production? “If I were to do a complete role in Mission Istanbul, I’d be accused of hogging the limelight,” he says. The film, we hear, is a complete entertainer, choc-a-block with Hollywood style action, special effects, the works. And if that doesn’t interest you, there’s also an intriguing political angle. Apart from look-alikes of American President George W Bush and Osama Bin Laden, it features a guest appearance by Kashmiri politician Omar Abdullah. One of the rumours associated with the film suggests that Viveik Oberoi’s role was heavily chopped. Ask Suniel about it and watch how he warns rumour-mongers to leave his film alone, in that characteristic macho ishtyle.
Mithun Chakraborty’s son Mimoh is quite happy after losing 15 kg in one month thanks to Suniel Shetty, who has cast him in “Loot”.“Suniel sir is one of the best human beings I’ve met in my life. He’s become like a second father specially in Bangkok where he completely took charge of me, forced me to go on a strict, oil-free diet and I’ve come back 15 kg lighter,” Mimoh, who debuted with “Jimmy”,It all started when Mimoh did his first shot for “Loot”. Suniel sir saw me walking towards the camera and exclaimed, ‘You’re looking like a 70 mm frame’. He didn’t mean that in any bad sense. But, you see, I’ve very broad shoulders. I’ve inherited these big bones and the muscular look from my beautiful mother (ex-actress Yogeeta Bali). And I thought there wasn’t much I could do about it. But Suniel sir changed my entire appearance. Now I feel so much lighter. Of course, he says he’s going to cut my salary for ‘Loot’ by half because of what he has done to my bulk. I don’t mind if he doesn’t pay me.”Having inherited his father’s incredible dancing shoes, does Mimoh feel the difference in his dancing as well? No, as a dancer I never felt the weight. My father has taught me to enjoy my dancing regardless of everything. But after having lost so much weight, I feel I’m ready to rock. My first film ‘Jimmy’ has me in that over-muscular look, but from now on I intend to continue with the look prescribed by Suniel sir. In fact, we’re soon shooting a music video for ‘Loot’. You’ve to see how lean Suniel sir, Govinda and I look. Suniel sir has lost more weight although he already had a superb physique.”Mimoh says that a beefy, muscular look doesn’t suit the leading man. I feel the lean look that Suniel sir or Akshay Kumar has is the best. That’s how I intend to look.”Added Suniel: “Mimoh is a wonderful child. When he came to Bangkok, I immediately saw he needed to lose weight. I cut down on his food and put him on a strict diet along with Govinda. They were given specially cooked food. With his new look in ‘Loot’, Mimoh is going to emerge as a potential star.”
Suneil Shetty, brand ambassador for hockey on the sting operation that exposed Indian Hockey Federation’s secretary K. Jyothikumaran.