Full Interview

When you meet Suniel Shetty, you feel he’s getting younger and fitter with time. At 50, he has rock hard abs and bulging arms that actors half his age would kill for. Just hours before hitting the Sharjah stadium for the big celebrity studded ‘Celebrity Cricket league’ this weekend Suniel, dressed dapper in jeans and looking through his cool aviators chatted with bollywood chaska!

The setting was the glittering and glamorous showroom of Kanz Jewels in Dubai’s Gold Souk in Deira, where apart from Suniel, the world’s largest gold ring as recorded by the Guinness Book Of World Records, ‘Najmat Taiba’ manufactured by Taiba, Saudi Arabia, caught everyone’s attention. We cornered Bollywood’s muscle man for a detailed chat.

How does it feel to pose in front of the world’s largest gold ring?
It’s unreal. How else do I describe my feelings after seeing a ring that weighs 64 kilos and is worth over US$ 3 million? But I am simply amazed by the inventory of jewellery here in Kanz. They have collections from all over the world. I wish I had got into the jewellery business as well.

You’re captaining ‘The Mumbai Heroes,’ which is owned by Salman. Is it an immense responsibility?
We have a very good team that practises regularly. But you know that Sharjah Cricket Stadium is the home ground for Mumbai Heroes,

plus the 20-20 format demands quick play so there is a lot of pressure.

What would you say are the strengths and weaknesses of your team?
Our biggest plus point is that we are a strong unit this year compared to the last. We have good players such as Riteish Deshmukh, Aftab Shivadasani and also other all-rounders. On the downside, we don’t get to play cricket throughout the year so the lack of practice can make us rusty sometimes.

The Indian cricket team has been performing very poorly of late. What would your advice be to the team as a fan and lover of the sport?
I would advise them to stay away from the media. A lot pressure builds up on the players with constant news about what went wrong in their matches, who should be dropped from the squad, who deserves to be in the team and so on. What we need to realise is that cricket is a mindgame. On the field and even away from it, you need to have a positive mind so that nothing fazes you. The Aussies and the English are perhaps good examples for this. One thing that we don’t have to worry about is talent. We have a great bunch of players. It’s only that we aren’t able to come together as a unit and perform.

Suniel Shetty 'Salman keeps encouraging Mumbai Heros' related Images

Related Links