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In a shocking revelation, actor Suniel Shetty recalled a terrifying incident in Los Angeles right after 9/11, when he was held at gunpoint by the police, handcuffed, and mistaken for a threat—simply because of his appearance.
Suniel Shetty recalls being held at gunpoint and handcuffed in Los Angeles after 9/11 while filming Kaante.
Back in 2001, when the tragic terrorist attack on the World Trade Center shook the world, actor Suniel Shetty was in Los Angeles filming Kaante, directed by Sanjay Gupta. In a recent interview, Shetty recounted a harrowing experience where he was held at gunpoint by the police, handcuffed, and mistaken for a threat—all because of his appearance.
Speaking on Chanda Kochhar’s YouTube channel, Shetty recalled how he had just arrived in LA when 9/11 occurred. The visuals of the attack on television seemed surreal, and soon, he found himself in a terrifying situation. “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!’”
Shetty described being in complete shock as he was forced to his knees and handcuffed. The situation escalated quickly, and he had no idea what was happening. Fortunately, the film’s production team and a hotel manager—who happened to be a Pakistani gentleman—stepped in to clarify that Shetty was an actor. “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 said.
Reflecting on the misunderstanding, Shetty explained that his gesture for a key may have been misinterpreted. “I thought maybe he didn’t understand English, so I gestured ‘key’ and ‘lift.’ Unfortunately, it worked against me,” he added.
Kaante, which was loosely inspired by Reservoir Dogs, also starred Sanjay Dutt, Amitabh Bachchan, and Kumar Gaurav. Meanwhile, Suniel Shetty is currently busy with 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 features an ensemble cast, including Paresh Rawal, Johnny Lever, and Raveena Tandon. He is also set to reprise his role in Hera Pheri 3.
