SUNIEL SHETTY WINNING AT LIFE

The vintage action hero has had an unlikely renaissance as an internet sensation, driven by his love for clean living, fitness and old-world charm

- BY CHE KURRIEN PHOTOGRAPHS BY SARANG GUPTA STYLED BY RAHUL VIJAY

Let's face it: most men don't age like fine wine, but Suniel Shetty is a clear outlier. A poster boy for the long-term, tangible benefits of clean, healthy living, Shetty has transcended his reputation as a vintage movie star and, at the age of 64, has been recast as an unlikely internet and pop culture phenomenon. Long known for his martial arts skills and focus on fitness, Shetty is now increasingly being seen as a silver-haired style god—a cool uncle anyone would be proud to have in their corner. The taupe-hued kurta and veshti he rocked for his daughter Athiya's wedding to cricketer KL Rahul was GQ India's best menswear look of 2023. He is also a regular guest on some of the country's most popular podcasts, where his episodes get millions of views and voracious engagement. At a time when people seem adrift and confused about how to live given the tempestuous nature of modern life, audiences are drawn to Shetty's sagacity, confidence, kindness, business nous and rootedness. This has given him the one reward he never received in full measure during his career in cinema: widespread, unabashed audience love.