Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty recently opened up about a frightening experience he faced in the United States following the 9/11 attacks. While shooting for the film Kaante in Los Angeles, Shetty recounted being held at gunpoint by police officers, handcuffed, and made to kneel—simply due to his appearance.
In a conversation on Chanda Kochhar’s YouTube channel, Suniel Shetty recounted a harrowing experience that took place in Los Angeles shortly after the 9/11 attacks in 2001. The actor was in the city with director Sanjay Gupta and the cast of Kaante when the attacks occurred. Shetty vividly remembered watching the first images of the World Trade Center being struck on television in his hotel room, struggling to believe whether the scenes were real.
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The real nightmare for Shetty, however, began within his hotel. After forgetting his room keys, he entered the elevator and casually asked an American guest if they had a spare key, unaware of the dramatic turn the situation would take. To Shetty’s shock, this simple request led to an alarming series of events.
He was soon confronted by police officers, who held him at gunpoint, handcuffed him, and forced him to kneel—all because of his appearance. The actor described the ordeal as a deeply personal and terrifying experience, highlighting the heightened tensions and suspicions that prevailed in the U.S. following the 9/11 attacks.
Shetty was left in shock when police forced him to his knees and handcuffed him, without any clear understanding of what was happening. The situation quickly escalated, causing panic until the film production team arrived to intervene. A hotel manager, who was of Pakistani origin, stepped in and informed the authorities that Shetty was an actor, helping to de-escalate the tense situation.
Shetty reflected on how a simple request for a key had been misunderstood, leading to the frightening encounter. He explained that he had gestured for a key in the elevator, thinking the man might not understand English, but this gesture backfired. He said, “I thought he didn’t understand the language, maybe he didn’t speak English. So I gestured key, lift—it worked against me.”
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