Suniel Shetty didn’t want Athiya and Ahan to go to Indian school: ‘Wanted American board, faculty because…’

Suniel Shetty wanted his kids, Athiya and Ahan Shetty, to attend a school with an American board and faculty.

Suniel Shetty with his kids and wife. (Photo: Suniel/Instagram)

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Actor Suniel Shetty has shared the reason behind his decision to send his kids, Athiya and Ahan Shetty, to a school headed by the American board. He said that he wanted them to experience a normal upbringing without any special treatment. Additionally, Suniel revealed that Athiya made a last-minute decision to pursue acting after her college admission was already completed.

In conversation with Nikhil Kamath, Suniel opened up about the initial challenges he faced due to film critics slamming his films. He revealed that the criticism impacted not only him but also his family. He said, “I made sure that I did not send my kids to an Indian school, but (to the one which) was headed by an American board and had faculty that was American because I did not want anybody to treat them either special, as a celebrity kid or pan them for whose children they are.”

The actor continued, “I said let them go into a world that doesn’t care who they are and somewhere down the line, I think that worked for me. I still remember my dad saying ‘that’s a lot of money’”. However, Shetty convinced him.

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During the interview, Shetty also maintained that he never ‘nudged’ his kids to be actors. In fact, he had got Athiya admitted in a college in Atlanta but she refused to study there.

Talking about Athiya’s decision to enter the film industry, Suniel said, “We went to Atlanta for Athiya, she saw the college, everything done, loved it, got admission. On our way back she told me at the airport ‘You know papa, I am not really happy doing this.’ I asked ‘what do you want to do?’ She said ‘I want to be in the business of films and entertainment. I said ‘Baby, it’s a lovely place, but will you be able to accept failure?’ because that is very stressful. That Friday kills me every time and it’s the anxiety that kills me, and nothing else.”

Athiya made her Bollywood debut in 2015 with the film Hero opposite Sooraj Pancholi. Ahan made his debut with the film Tadap opposite Tara Sutaria. However, both the young stars are yet to make it big in the film industry.

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