“My Health Is My Temple”: Sunil Shetty on Saying No to Tobacco Endorsements
Suniel Shetty: Recently, actor Sunil Shetty turned down a Rs. 40 crore advertisement. Now, he has spoken out and explained why he turned it down.
There are a number of actors involved in tobacco and alcohol-related advertisements, and this issue often becomes a subject of debate too. These advertisements also create a lot of revenue, and in return, actors often face trolling too. Recently, Bollywood actor Sunil Shetty rejected a tobacco ad that offered him 40 crores. Now, he has spoken up.
In a conversation with the Peeping Moon podcast, Sunil Shetty explained why he refused to endorse tobacco brands despite receiving substantial payments. He said, "I am who I am because of my health. It was my body that gave Sunil Shetty a chance in films. If I don't consider this my place of worship, I would be doing myself a disservice. What legacy will I leave behind for my children?" I may not be as important in cinema today, but even today, young people between the ages of 17 and 20 love and respect me a lot.
Sunil Shetty further said, "I was offered a tobacco advertisement worth 40 crore rupees. I looked at them and said, 'Do you really think I'll do it? I won't.' Maybe I needed the money, but no. I won't do anything I don't believe in. If I do it, it will tarnish the image of Ahan, Athiya, and Rahul. After that, no one dared to offer it to me."
Sunil Shetty will soon be seen in the film "Welcome to the Jungle." He will star alongside Paresh Rawal, Akshay Kumar, Sanjay Dutt, Arshad Warsi, Lara Dutta, Raveena Tandon, and Disha Patani. The film was originally scheduled to release in December last year but will now be released this year. He may also be seen in "Hera Pheri 3."
