Suniel Shetty Explains Why He Avoids South Films: The ‘Negative Role’ Trend

Veteran actor Suniel Shetty has revealed the specific reason why he often declines offers from the South Indian film industry: a prevalent trend where Bollywood heroes are primarily cast in antagonistic roles.

The actor shared his thoughts during a recent public session, Lallantop Adda 2025, held in Delhi.

The Pattern He Dislikes

Suniel Shetty acknowledged that he receives offers from the South but explained his hesitation:

“I do get offers (from the South), but unfortunately, what happens is, you will notice this trend that we get offers for negative roles.”

He elaborated that filmmakers seek to cast Hindi heroes as powerful antagonists, believing it creates a strong onscreen dynamic that is favorable for the audience and the film’s marketing. Suniel stated directly: “And that is one thing that I don’t like.”

Exceptions to the Rule

Suniel Shetty made exceptions for two recent projects, explaining his personal motivation behind accepting them:

Darbar (Tamil): He took on the negative role of Hari Chopra opposite superstar Rajinikanth solely to fulfill a long-held personal dream.“I did a film with Rajini sir, only because I wanted to tick that box of having worked with him.”
Jai (Tulu): He did a cameo appearance in the Tulu-language film simply to support and encourage regional cinema from Karnataka, noting that the film has done exceptionally well.

The actor concluded that the industry has moved beyond language barriers, asserting, “If there is a barrier, then it’s perhaps because of the content. If your content is good, it will cross all barriers.”

Upcoming Projects

Suniel Shetty was most recently seen in the series Hunter 2. His major projects currently in the pipeline include:

Welcome To The Jungle: An ensemble film also starring Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Paresh Rawal, and Raveena Tandon.
Hera Pheri 3: The highly anticipated sequel, with filming scheduled to begin in early 2026.

Disha Rojhe