'My 15-month-old granddaughter worships Modi': Suniel Shetty's remark triggers social media storm

The actor's remarks, made during a recent interview, have sparked mixed reactions online, with many users trolling him over the anecdote.

What did Suniel Shetty say?

Speaking about his admiration for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Shetty said his support was for Modi as a leader and not for any political party.

"I have always claimed to be his (Modi) fan. I am not talking about a party but a leader who excites me. I love that man as much as I love my country. There is something about him," Shetty said.

He then shared an incident involving his granddaughter.

"You won't believe, my 15-month-old granddaughter every morning opens a book, turns to the page carrying the Prime Minister's photo and chants 'Modi-ji, Modi-ji'. She takes a bit of laddoo from near the Ganpati idol and feeds the photo.

"None of us said a word to her about Modi-ji except one of her nannies... Something must be there in him; otherwise, how could a child get drawn towards him like that? She particularly says 'Modi-ji'," he added.

Social media reactions

The comments quickly went viral on social media, drawing criticism and trolling from a section of users, while others defended the actor, saying he was merely sharing a personal family anecdote and expressing his admiration for the Prime Minister.

BJP reacts

BJP IT Cell head Amit Malviya targeted the "self-proclaimed secular brigade" over the criticism of Shetty's remark.

In an X post, Malviya wrote, "Have the self-proclaimed secular brigade already begun castigating Suniel Shetty? Will they now dismiss him as a “bhakt”, question his integrity, or denigrate him as an actor simply because he narrated a personal family moment involving Prime Minister Modi?"

About Suniel Shetty's family

Suniel Shetty's daughter, actress Athiya Shetty, married Indian cricketer KL Rahul in an intimate ceremony at the Shetty family's Khandala farmhouse on January 23, 2023, after dating for several years.

The couple welcomed their first child, a daughter named Evaarah, in April 2025.

The 15-month-old granddaughter mentioned by Suniel Shetty in the interview is Evaarah, who has frequently featured in the family's social media posts, although her parents have largely kept her away from the public eye.