Suniel Shetty Reveals Why He Turns Down Most South Film Offers

The Bollywood star says he’s often offered villain roles in Southern cinema—something he chooses to avoid, except for rare collaborations that truly matter to him.

Bollywood’s beloved action star Suniel Shetty — known for films like Mohra, Dhadkan, Border, Hera Pheri and Awara Paagal Deewana — recently opened up about why he doesn’t frequently take up projects from the South film industries. Despite being a proud Mangalorean with strong South Indian roots, the actor says the issue has nothing to do with language or regional boundaries.

In a candid conversation with The Lallantop, Suniel revealed that many of the roles he receives from Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam filmmakers are predominantly negative characters. According to him, there is a long-running trend in the South of casting Bollywood actors — especially established “Hindi film heroes” — as powerful villains for cinematic impact. While he acknowledges that these antagonistic parts are written to create strong on-screen drama, they don’t personally appeal to him.

Suniel explained that he prefers roles that offer depth, dignity, or emotional resonance, not just raw aggression. He believes that today’s audiences connect with stories across regions, and that “content” — not language — is the only real barrier in cinema. For him, a script must feel right, regardless of where it comes from.

However, the actor has made exceptions when the collaboration felt meaningful. His biggest one was Darbar (2020), where he took on a negative role opposite superstar Rajinikanth. Suniel has often said that sharing screen space with Rajinikanth was a dream he wasn’t willing to miss, and that alone justified stepping into the antagonist’s shoes.

He also recently appeared in a Tulu film titled Jai, a project he took on as a gesture of support for regional cinema and for the cultural roots he remains deeply connected to.

With several upcoming Bollywood projects lined up — including Hera Pheri 3 and Welcome to the Jungle — Suniel Shetty continues to stay selective. For him, choosing the right role matters far more than the language or the region it comes from.