By Aanya Rajput
Bollywood friendships are often dismissed as fleeting, but Suniel Shetty’s bond with Jackie Shroff and Salman Khan has defied that stereotype for over four decades. These aren’t just industry colleagues; they’re brothers who have stood by each other through thick and thin.
Over the years, stories of Suniel’s generosity have become part of Bollywood folklore. Jackie Shroff has often recalled how Shetty offered him his own home when Jackie’s father fell critically ill. Salman Khan has shared how Suniel once gifted him an expensive stone-wash shirt and a wallet when he couldn’t afford them. Now, Suniel has finally spoken about these moments — and how these friendships were built on respect, not favours.
“It’s About Respect, Not Favors”
In a candid conversation with Pinkvilla, Suniel said, “Jackie and Salman were already stars when I met them. Just having them walk into my shop was huge publicity for me — but that’s not why they came. Jackie is my hero, and Salman is my friend. It’s their humility that they remember these things publicly.”
He explained that their bond was never transactional. “Even today, Jackie is just one call away. Same with Salman. If I call and ask Salman to do a film, he won’t even ask why. Not because I helped them once, but because our respect for each other has always been real.”
From Hangout Spots to Lifelong Bonds
The friendship between Shetty and Shroff goes back 45 years, to the days when the two would meet at Mumbai’s iconic youth hangouts like Pastry Palace, Wonderworld and Scandal Point. “Jackie jokes that I always had clothes ready for him, but he always paid. He’d even sit outside my shop to make it look busy — that’s the kind of guy he is,” Suniel recalled with a laugh.
Jackie, on his part, has never forgotten how Shetty stood by him in his hour of need. “When my father suffered a severe reaction to penicillin, our home was too cramped for proper care. Suniel immediately offered his house — and he wasn’t even living there at the time. He vacated it for us. I stayed there with my father for 10–15 days. That’s Suniel for you,” Jackie shared during their joint appearance on Kaun Banega Crorepati in 2021.
Salman’s Memory of a Shirt and a Wallet
Salman Khan, too, got emotional while recalling his own experience with Shetty at the IIFA Awards 2022. “Back in the day, I didn’t have enough money to shop. I went to Suniel’s store and liked a stone-wash shirt and a wallet. He saw me struggling and just gifted them to me. I’ve never forgotten that.”
These moments, Suniel insists, aren’t about charity — they’re about friendship built on trust and loyalty. “They don’t pick up the phone because I once helped them. They pick it up because we’re brothers, and that’s how it’s always been.”
