- By Aarushi Raina
- Sun, 25 May 2025 09:46 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Suniel Shetty's daughter and actress Athiya Shetty married Indian cricketer KL Rahul in 2023 after years of dating. The couple is now embracing a new phase in their lives as parents to a baby girl named Evaarah. Recently, Suniel admitted that it was the manifestation and obsession with cricket that brought Rahul into his family. He also opened up about why he didn’t cry at Athiya's bidaai. It seems like the universe conspired to make Athiya Shetty and KL Rahul life partners and Suniel Shetty agreed.
In a recent conversation with The Lallantop, Suniel Shetty shared, "It must have been manifestation. My obsession with cricket and with KL Rahul as a young cricketer… You can ask my friend Dilip. He would call me during my shoots and say, ‘Anna, this guy’s got something special — come to Wankhede.’ So I would drop everything and go."
He revealed how he used to admire Rahul for his game and followed his journey. Clarifying that Athiya and Rahul knew each other but they weren’t dating at that time. The actor stated, “He was from Mangalore too, so there was that connection. I followed his journey as a cricketer. I saw promise in him as a player, as a person. But I never imagined he’d one day become part of our family."
Recollecting his first meeting with the Indian cricketer was at the airport lounge, the Hera Pheri actor continued, "The manager came up to me and told me that Rahul wanted to meet me. I said I’d go meet him. He was very respectful and humble. Somewhere, I must have said to myself, ‘He’s such a good guy,’ so I must have manifested it. Then, when Mana told me that Athiya and Rahul were dating, I said, ‘He’s a lovely boy.’ Even today, I tell my wife we’re blessed that such a good man became our son-in-law.
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In the same interview, the actor recalled his advice to his daughter that choosing her life partner was entirely her decision. However, he also told her that she should choose a man who would keep her happy, make her laugh, respect her, and come from a humble background.
Reacting on why he didn't cired at the wedding, Suniel added, "People ask me why I didn’t cry. And I tell them — I didn’t need to. She wasn’t going away into uncertainty. She was stepping into a life with a man who would cherish her. I felt peace."
Athiya Shetty stepped into Bollywood in 2015 with Hero, starring opposite Sooraj Pancholi. After which, she was seen in movies like Mubarakan and Motichoor Chaknachoor. Her last appearance was in Motichoor and now has left the industry. Besides her professional life, Athiya's personal always made it to the headlines once she started dating KL Rahul. The couple turned their relationship into a forever bond in an intimate wedding ceremony on 23 January 2023 at Suniel Shetty’s farmhouse in Khandala in the presence of close friends and family. In March this year, they welcomed their first child, a baby girl.
Meanwhile, on the work front, Suniel Shetty is gearing up for Kesari Veer and has Hunter season 2 in the pipeline.
ALSO READ: ‘Baba, I Don’t Want To…’ Suniel Shetty Recalls Athiya Shetty’s Decision To Quit Bollywood