In 2001, when the world was left shaken by the devastating terrorist attack on the World Trade Center, Suniel Shetty found himself caught in a terrifying situation while filming Kaante in Los Angeles. The actor recently opened up about an ordeal where he was held at gunpoint by police, handcuffed, and mistaken for a threat—all because of his appearance.
During a conversation on a YouTube channel, Shetty recalled arriving in LA just as the 9/11 attacks unfolded. The horrifying visuals on television seemed surreal, but what followed for him was even more shocking. “I was taken at gunpoint because I had this beard. We had just started shooting again a few days later. I was walking into the hotel, got into the lift, and realized I had forgotten my keys. There was an American gentleman there, and I asked him, ‘Do you have the keys? Because I forgot mine and my staff is out.’ He ran out and created a commotion. Within moments, armed cops stormed in and yelled, ‘Down or we shoot!’”
Completely stunned, Shetty was forced to his knees and handcuffed, unable to comprehend what was happening. The situation escalated rapidly, leaving him in fear of what would come next. It was only after the intervention of the film’s production team and the hotel manager—who happened to be a Pakistani gentleman—that the misunderstanding was cleared up. “That’s when the production team arrived, and the hotel manager explained that I was an actor. The whole incident was insane. There was so much chaos, and I had no idea what would happen next,” he recounted.
Reflecting on the confusion, Suniel Shetty suggested that his attempt to communicate may have been misinterpreted. “I thought maybe he didn’t understand English, so I gestured ‘key’ and ‘lift.’ Unfortunately, it worked against me,” he explained.
Kaante, loosely inspired by Reservoir Dogs, featured an ensemble cast including Sanjay Dutt, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kumar Gaurav. Currently, Suniel Shetty is immersed in multiple projects, including Welcome to the Jungle, where he reunites with Akshay Kumar. Directed by Ahmed Khan and produced by Firoz A. Nadiadwallah, the film boasts an impressive lineup with Paresh Rawal, Johnny Lever, and Raveena Tandon. Additionally, Shetty is set to reprise his role in Hera Pheri 3.
