Ahaan Shetty talks about Nepotism: "Being my father’s son gives me access and opportunities"

Ahaan Shetty talks about being a nepo kid

As the son of Bollywood veteran Suniel Shetty, Ahaan Shetty is well aware of the privilege that comes with being born into a film family, but he is equally honest about the pressure it brings.

In a recent chat with Lifestyle Asia India, the Tadap actor shared his thoughts with refreshing candour. “I’ll never deny where I come from; being my father’s son gives me access and opportunities. But that also means expectations are higher and every stumble is magnified. I know that every success of mine reflects on the name he’s built, and every failure carries extra weight. I try to use both as fuel to work harder, to prove that I’m not just here because of my last name.”

Rather than viewing his father’s towering legacy as a shadow, Ahan prefers to see it as guidance. “But I don’t see it as a burden. I’ve learned a way to stop taking that pressure and start seeing it as guidance. His past is something I can learn from, not something that weighs me down.”

Ahan made his Bollywood debut in 2021 with Tadap, opposite Tara Sutaria and directed by Milan Luthria. While the film established him as a promising new face, he has been careful about his next moves, aiming to carve a career that feels both authentic and ambitious.

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Looking ahead, he will be seen in Border 2, a patriotic drama directed by Anurag Singh, scheduled for release on 22 January 2026. The film revives the legacy of JP Dutta’s cult classic Border (1997) and brings together an ensemble cast including Sunny Deol, Varun Dhawan, and Diljit Dosanjh.

Adding to that, Ahan has also signed a chilling new horror project written by Patrick Graham, the creator behind Netflix thrillers Ghoul and Betaal.

Ahan Shetty is attempting to find a balance between privilege and tenacity, from his realistic observations on nepotism to the ambitious projects he has planned. He is adamant that his Bollywood career will be shaped by his own standards.