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Son of the soil

Suniel Shetty is always happy to come home to Mulky

NO PLACE LIKE HOME Suniel Shetty: `My roots are here and I look forward to some developmental activity here'

There is more to local lad Suniel Shetty (he is from Mulky near Mangalore) than weird wigs, contact lenses and bulging biceps. And we are not talking about the smoothly ticking business brain behind his ever-successful ventures like the garment and restaurant businesses. We are talking of his socially aware side, where the plight of spastic children moves him deeply. Sunil Dutt's Dard Ka Rishta also has had a deep impact on him. On the eve of his latest release Shadi Se Pehle, Suniel says: "Children are my main theme." When he produced Ahsas, he realised how much even adults miss their parents. "That is why I incorporated the theme of estranged parents and children in the film."

Suniel is exasperated with the pace of growth of Mangalore city. "My roots are here and I look forward to some developmental activity here. First, I want the city to grow in an orderly fashion where there is no congestion on the roads, where pedestrians, especially senior citizens can walk safely on the footpaths and where every household can get its share of water. Given a chance I would concentrate on making Mangalore a better place to be."

Suniel who has been working continuously for many years, feels the need for a "six-month break. Then I would like to work on a film with a socially relevant theme. I am looking at scripts and all seem equally promising."

Very much a Mumbaikar, Suniel is "proud of the role of Dakshina Kannadigas in the city. They feed a great deal of economic input into that great city. I cannot speak Kannada but I do speak Tulu in Mumbai as well."

When Suniel comes to Mangalore, he never returns "without paying a visit to the various temples. My favourite is Bappanadu in Mulky. This time when the temple was consecrating Durga Parameshwari, my cousins and I paid tributes."

M. RAGHURAM

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