Quick Take
Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed.
Suniel Shetty reflects on his iconic role as Raghavan Dutta in Main Hoon Na.
He views his character as misunderstood and driven by personal loss.
Shetty believes Raghavan’s patriotic feelings complicate his actions.
New Delhi:
One of Suniel Shetty’s iconic roles is Raghavan Dutta in Farah Khan’s Main Hoon Na. Shetty played the role of an ex-army officer who turned into a terrorist. The film also had Shah Rukh Khan as Major Ram Sharma who goes on a mission to defeat the terrorist. The film had Amrita Rao, Zayed Khan, and Sushmita Sen in key roles.
Recently in a conversation with ANI, Suniel Shetty opened up about his perspective on his character in Main Hoon Na. The actor confessed that Raghavan Dutta was misunderstood as a patriot. His intentions were influenced by deep personal loss and the nationalistic feelings within him.
Suniel Shetty told ANI, “I never thought of Raghavan as a negative role. A man who is a deshbhakt (patriot) can never truly be a villain. When you’re angry because your colleagues were killed in a war, and you feel the system has failed you… that’s not evil. That’s pain.”
He added, “Farah Khan made an entertaining movie, but there was depth in it. Raghavan wasn’t black or white – he was grey, and that’s what made him interesting.”
Suniel Shetty further expressed gratitude to director Farah Khan for making his character Raghavan Dutta nuanced and layered, rather than keeping it basic as a typical villain.
Speaking of how playing an antagonist impacted him as an actor, Suniel Shetty added, “As actors, we get the opportunity to live lives we never imagined. Playing Raghavan challenged me emotionally and mentally.”
Suniel Shetty is currently gearing up for the release of his next titled Kesari Veer, slated to release in theatres on May 16, 2025.