Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty, known for his versatility and strong personal values, recently revealed that he once rejected a ₹40 crore offer to endorse a tobacco product, saying it went against his principles and the example he wanted to set for his children, Ahan and Athiya.
In a conversation with Peeping Moon, the Dhadkan actor said he made a conscious decision early in his career to never promote tobacco.
“I was offered ₹40 crore for a tobacco advertisement. I looked at them and said, ‘Do you really think I would fall for money? I won’t.’ I may have needed the money at that time, but I still refused,” he said.
Suniel added that endorsing such products conflicted with his beliefs.
“It’s something I don’t believe in. I won’t do anything that could leave a blemish on Ahan and Athiya. Today, no one even approaches me with such offers,” he shared.
During the same interview, Suniel also spoke about the passing of his father, Veerappa Shetty, in 2017, after which he took a break from acting.
He revealed that his father had been unwell since 2014 and that caring for him took an emotional toll.
“I wasn’t in the right frame of mind. I had almost completely stepped away from work. Then he passed away,” he said.
Suniel made his return to acting after a gap of six to seven years, a phase he admitted was challenging.
“On the morning of my father’s death, I received an offer to host a health show. I saw it as a calling. That’s when I slowly returned to work, including films in the South. After such a long break, you begin to doubt your craft and wonder if the industry has moved on,” he explained.
He also spoke about his personal transformation after the pandemic.
“Post-pandemic, I started looking at myself differently. I trained harder, read more, and focused on self-growth. Eventually, I became so confident that I realised I didn’t need validation from anyone,” Suniel concluded.
