Suniel Shetty’s emotional moment with son Ahan offers insight into why early career failures hit so hard: ‘There’s always turmoil in our lives’

Talking about Ahan landing his second film, Suniel said, “It is his second film aur itni badi film milna… Bahut hi responsible film hai (Getting such a huge film… it is a big responsibility). When Ahan was doing the film, maine tabhi unse kaha tha ke (I told him), ‘Ahan, it is not just uniform. Remember this’.” His voice choked as he spoke, underlining the weight he associates with responsibility, legacy, and second chances.

Suniel also addressed the period following Ahan’s debut film Tadap, which failed to make an impact at the box office. Reflecting on that phase, he said, “After his first film, there was a little break in (his life and career). You know, there’s always turmoil in our lives. Sab bolte hain ke Suniel Shetty ka beta hai kaam toh bahut hi milta hai (Everyone says that he is Suniel Shetty’s son, so he must be getting a lot of work).” He pushed back against the assumption that proximity to success automatically shields someone from struggle.

Continuing, Suniel added, “But somewhere or the other, there’s a lot that Ahan went through in life. But I am happy that he got Border 2 as his second film. Usse badiya film nahi mil sakti. And I just pray that he has done justice and the film works for all of us.” 

But why do early career failures tend to hit young adults so hard psychologically?

Sonal Khangarot, licensed rehabilitation counsellor and psychotherapist, The Answer Room, tells indianexpress.com, “Early career failures hit young adults hard because, at this stage, work is closely tied to identity, self-worth, and the sense of ‘becoming someone.’ Psychologically, young adults are still consolidating their self-concept, so professional setbacks are not experienced as isolated events but as evidence about who they are and what they’re capable of.”

 

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Validation from work often substitutes for internal validation, she adds, making failure feel like a personal inadequacy rather than a situational outcome. “Social comparison intensifies the impact, as peers’ visible successes reinforce feelings of falling behind. Even when told that more opportunities will come, the emotional brain prioritises present threat over future reassurance, interpreting failure as a risk to stability, belonging, and personal growth rather than just a professional hurdle,” notes Khangarot. 

Healthy ways for individuals to rebuild confidence and identity after a career disappointment

Khangarot states, “Career setbacks can deeply disrupt confidence and identity, especially when work is closely tied to self-worth. Rebuilding requires emotional processing, separating identity from outcomes, and restoring a sense of agency. With supportive reflection and time, disappointment can be integrated as a growth phase rather than a defining personal failure.” 

Khangarot offers a few healthy ways to rebuild confidence and identity after a public or deeply personal career disappointment:

• Separating self-worth from professional outcomes helps reduce the tendency to see failure as a personal flaw.
• Allowing space to feel emotions like grief, shame, or anger prevents unresolved distress from shaping self-belief.
• Rebuilding confidence through small, achievable tasks restores a sense of competence and control.
• Investing in roles and identities beyond work creates emotional balance and protects self-esteem.
• Seeking reflective support from trusted people or professionals helps reframe the experience without minimising it.
• Gradually reshaping the personal narrative to view the setback as a learning phase supports psychological resilience.