South Indian actor was once told to leave Bollywood, open idli-vada shop. Today, his net worth will make your jaw drop

Today, he is one of Bollywood’s most well-known actors with iconic films such as ‘Dhadkan’, ‘Border’, ‘Hera Pheri’ etc. However the road to success was not a bed of roses for Suniel Shetty. In his days as a struggler, the actor faced discrimination from Bollywood and was often made the butt of jokes. In a chat with Raj Shamani on the podcast Figuring Out, he recalled when he was the subject of very mean comments even after his debut film Balwaan was a huge box-office success.

“When Balwaan got released, it was a blockbuster. However, ek bhut bade critic ne, shayad ek lauta critic tha voh. Usne kaha ki iski film toh chali gayi lekin yeh bahut kharab actor hai (A very big critic, probably the only one at that time, he wrote that even though his film has worked, he is a very bad actor). ‘He doesn’t know acting, doesn’t know how to walk, his body is so stiff, isko aapni dukaan mein idli vada bechna chahiye (He should sell idli-vada at his restaurant).” he told Shamani.

Shetty admitted that the barb got to him. “I was in tears for days together. I cried,” he shared and admitted that the remark did a number on his confidence. “I thought it was over, because they knew better.”


This was a jibe at his first ever job - before joining showbiz, Shetty assisted his father’s restaurant business and was involved in managing Udupi-styled restaurants in Mumbai.

In another interview with Radio Nasha, the actor brought up the incident and revealed that he was proud of his South Indian roots. He credited his background in managing South Indian restaurants as a factor as to why he survived in Bollywood. He also revealed that he and his siblings got a great education and upbringing from the income his father’s business generated.

“He thought he was insulting me, but that idli-vada was my livelihood. It educated my sisters and me, probably way better than those whose fathers didn’t sell idli-vada or run a South Indian business. He thought he was making fun of me, but if I am still surviving in the industry after 35 years, it’s because of the idli-vada restaurant and my hospitality business. I used to do everything—I cleaned tables, served at the counter, and stood in the kitchen. How does that matter?..” said Shetty.

Today, Shetty is an acclaimed figure with an enviable oeuvre of work that spans from action movies to comic capers. As per a Financial Express report, his net worth is a whopping Rs 125 crore.