As Suniel Shetty celebrates another year, it is the perfect time to revisit the films that capture just how much ground he has covered in cinema. From the action-heavy roles that made him a household name to the comedies that showed off a completely different side of him, Shetty has spent decades proving that he was never limited to just one kind of character. This birthday, revisit four films that capture the many sides of one of Bollywood’s most recognisable performers.
Apna Sapna Money Money Streaming on | Zee 5 Global Category | Comedy, Crime Release Date | 10 November 2006 Language | Hindi Cast | Ritesh Deshmukh, Shreyas Talpade, Celina Jaitly, Suniel Shetty Director | Sangeeth Sivan
A conman, a dream of easy money and a plan that gets increasingly ridiculous as it goes along. Apna Sapna Money Money is the kind of comedy that thrives on mistaken identities, outrageous schemes and actors willing to completely lean into the madness. Suniel Shetty, playing a tough cop, gets to turn his familiar action-hero persona into part of the joke, bringing a straight-faced energy to a film that is anything but serious. It is a reminder that long before the industry started talking about actors reinventing themselves, Shetty was already proving he could laugh at the image that made him famous.
One Two Three Streaming on | Zee 5 Global Category | Comedy Release Date | 4 April 2008 Language | Hindi Cast | Suniel Shetty, Paresh Rawal, Tusshar Kapoor, Esha Deol, Sameera Reddy Director | Ashwani Dhir
Three men with the same name, three completely different lives and one hotel room that becomes the centre of an increasingly chaotic mess. One Two Three is built around the kind of confusion Bollywood comedies do best, and Suniel Shetty gets to play one of its three unlucky protagonists. His character, Laxmi Narayan, finds himself caught in a chain of misunderstandings that keeps getting more absurd. The film is another example of Shetty stepping away from the brooding action hero image and finding comedy in playing the straight man amid complete madness.
No Problem Streaming on | Zee 5 Global Category | Comedy, Action Release Date | 10 December 2010 Language | Hindi Cast | Anil Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Akshaye Khanna, Suniel Shetty, Sushmita Sen, Kangana Ranaut Director | Anees Bazmee
When everyone has a plan and absolutely nothing goes according to it, you get No Problem. Directed by Anees Bazmee, the film brings together a wildly packed ensemble for a story involving criminals, cops, mistaken identities and one very complicated robbery. Suniel Shetty plays Arjun Singh, a police officer caught in the middle of the chaos, and gets to bring his familiar intensity into a world built almost entirely around comic timing. In a cast filled with big personalities, Shetty proves that he can hold his own without ever needing to be the loudest person in the room.
Main Hoon Na Streaming on | Netflix Category | Action, Comedy, Drama Release Date | 30 April 2004 Language | Hindi Cast | Shah Rukh Khan, Sushmita Sen, Suniel Shetty, Zayed Khan, Amrita Rao Director | Farah Khan
A college, a secret military mission, a complicated family reunion and a villain with a personal score to settle. Main Hoon Na had all the ingredients of a quintessential Bollywood entertainer, and Suniel Shetty’s Raghavan gave the film a surprisingly menacing edge. As the former soldier turned antagonist, Shetty plays against the charm and humour surrounding the rest of the film, making his presence feel genuinely threatening. It is one of those roles that reminds you that his action background was never just about physicality; he knew how to make a villain feel dangerous without having to overplay it.
