Veteran Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty has opened up about his admiration for India batter KL Rahul, revealing that he first met the cricketer as a fan long before Rahul became a part of his family.

A passionate cricket enthusiast who once dreamt of becoming a professional cricketer himself, Suniel saw his connection with the sport grow even stronger when his daughter Athiya Shetty married Rahul in 2023. The couple welcomed their daughter, Evaarah Vipula, last year.

Recalling his first interaction with Rahul, Suniel admitted that he was starstruck by the India batter and continues to admire his personality and influence.

"It was a fanboy moment. I met him as a fan much, much before they met each other. To this day, that's how I look at him somebody who's very well-spoken, soft, humble, and leaves a huge impact on the youth whenever and wherever he plays," the actor said in an interaction with Mid-Day.

Suniel also shared that he avoids giving career advice to Rahul, just as he does with his son, actor Ahan Shetty. Instead, he said discussions within the family revolve around values and character rather than professional choices.

"I don't give advice to both my boys. Like I say, we don't discuss careers at home; we discuss character. We keep it very, very simple," he said.

Despite his deep love for cricket, Suniel revealed that he never became part of the Indian Premier League (IPL) as a franchise owner, even though he believed he had the financial ability to do so in the league's early years.

The actor explained that the lack of investors and financial backing at the time prevented him from pursuing the opportunity.

"I could've bought a team. If somebody would've backed me, I probably would've gone into it. In today's time, you have funders, VCs (Venture Capitalists), and investors who are keen to invest with you. Back then, it wasn't that way. We couldn't even think of spending so much money," he confessed.

Suniel also praised Shah Rukh Khan for identifying the opportunity early and successfully entering the IPL as the co-owner of Kolkata Knight Riders. He credited the Bollywood superstar's vision and the support of his business partners for the franchise's success.

"Shah Rukh was at the right place at the right time, and with the right people. And me, being an introvert, I was... like I said, Shah Rukh was in a better place," Suniel admitted.

He concluded by lauding Shah Rukh's foresight and business acumen.

"I always believed Shah Rukh is an absolute visionary.

Whatever he's done in life, he's done it so beautifully," he concluded.