“I received a break in movies because of my motion and never because of my performing,” says the actor
Suniel Shetty posted a nostalgic tweet on March 31, which marked the twenty first anniversary of Hera Pheri’s launch. Sharing a nonetheless from the movie, he stated, “No marvel we underestimate how shortly time flies. It appears I blinked, and 21 years glided by. What a movie we made.” The slapstick comedy by Priyadarshan is amongst his most interesting movies in a profession spanning shut to 3 many years. But the veteran actor makes an admission: “I received a break in movies because of my motion and never because of my performing.”
Suniel was certainly typecast as an motion star. In many of his earlier works, like Mohra and Vinashak, he performs a brawny man normally out to avenge the injustice he or another person suffered. His performing, when he started movies, was deadpan, however he might land punches, and carry out flying kicks and fireplace stunts.
The present should go on
This makes him the apt host for BIG FM’s new wellness present, ‘21 Din Wellness In’.
In the three-week present, which started on March 22, Suniel encourages listeners to steer a wholesome life. He shares his day by day routine, with fitness enjoying a significant position, and speaks to a number of consultants on bodily, psychological and emotional well-being.
“I consider that it takes seven days to kind a behavior; 14 days to begin seeing the change it brings; and 21 days to be seen to others. So, that’s the thought behind the title,” he says about the present.
He is worked up as a result of that is his first radio present. “Radio… provides you that feeling of intimacy. You really feel the host is instantly talking to you. Since it has large attain, you possibly can focus on wellness, which, in the wake of the pandemic, has turn out to be so necessary. For me, wellness is extra than simply the physique. It is about psychological well being, vitamin, restoration from accidents, and confidence.”
Cricket, karate, and yoga
Suniel’s fondness for fitness began at school. “I used to be an athlete all alongside,” he says. “I used to be into cricket at college. I wished to play for the nation, again then. Then, to get stronger, I joined martial arts. I began with the Okinawa Gōjū-ryū model of karate.” He additionally has a black belt in kickboxing.
It was his fitness that gave him his movie break and he was shortly typecast as an motion hero and fitness was now not simply an choice. Yet, Suniel by no means loathed his exercises. Shooting or not, he’s up by 6 am. Two hours a day are spent in train and yoga. “You can’t construct your physique in a single day,” he says. “I feel that’s why I’m doing a present known as ‘21 Din Wellness In’ and never ‘Six packs in six days’. (*21*) needs to be a component of your life-style.”

Leena Mogre, one of the celeb fitness consultants Suniel interacts with on the present, agrees. Leena is amongst India’s first feminine private fitness trainers. Her clientèle in the previous has included some of the high movie stars, like Madhuri Dixit, John Abraham amongst others. She has been in the fitness trade for over 25 years. “Today, everyone seems to be confused as a result of there are such a lot of exercises,” she says. “For occasion, some folks say, ‘I’ll begin Crossfit to shed weight.’ Then, they may get injured and blame the train. So, it’s necessary to evaluate what fits you.”
What has labored via life for Suniel has been yoga. Apart from holding him in form, it has helped him deal with the psychological calls for of his occupation as nicely. “For me, it’s not about flexing your physique or touching your toes; it’s extra about how one can maintain your breath, how one can keep a sure vitality. When you begin exploring yoga, you realise it goes deep.”
At 60, Suniel is making an attempt to do roles that demand performing greater than motion, not as a result of his physique is stopping him, however as a diversification of what he can do. He continues to do roles which might be bodily demanding as nicely. He performed the antagonist in Darbar, a cop motion drama starring Rajinikanth, in 2020. In the National Award-winning Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea, set to be launched in May, he performs a sword-wielding warrior named Chandroth Panicker.
“Today, I look to age gracefully,” he says. “I can not keep away from the course of of ageing however I can delay it. So, I’m making an attempt to inform those who if I can do it at 60 you are able to do it any time.”
‘21 Din Wellness In’ airs on BIG FM from Monday to Friday, 5 pm to six pm in metro cities, 6 pm to 7 pm in Kolkata and 4 pm to five pm in non-metros.