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Daughter of actor Suniel Shetty, Athiya has found her spotlight in the glamour world. Her flair for fashion and style also makes her a favourite on social media.
Athiya Shetty tied the knot with her longtime partner, Indian cricketer KL Rahul, on January 23, 2023. (Image: athiyashetty/Instagram)
Celebrating her 32nd birthday on November 5, 2024, Athiya Shetty isn’t just known for her work in films. Her flair for fashion and style also makes her a favourite on social media. Her fans are familiar with her fun and candid posts, which she frequently shares, giving glimpses of her life.
She began her acting career in 2015, making her mark with Nikhil Advani’s Hero, a remake of the iconic 1983 film by Subhash Ghai, who also co-produced the remake. Daughter of veteran actor Suniel Shetty, Athiya has found her spotlight in the glamour world. On January 23, 2023, she tied the knot with her longtime partner, Indian cricketer KL Rahul.
To celebrate the diva on her special day, let’s revisit her journey in Bollywood and her beautiful relationship with KL Rahul.
ATHIYA SHETTY’S FILMS
Hero
Athiya entered Bollywood in Hero (2015), a romantic action film directed by Nikhil Advani. The film, a remake of Subhash Ghai’s 1983 classic, had her playing Radha Mathur, a Mumbai-based aspiring dancer. Radha falls in love with Sooraj, played by Sooraj Pancholi—a gangster who initially kidnaps her to blackmail her father, IG Shrikant Mathur. Produced by Salman Khan and co-written by Advani and Umesh Bist, the movie brought Athiya recognition for her portrayal of Radha.
Mubarakan
Two years later, Athiya starred in Anees Bazmee’s romantic comedy Mubarakan (2017) alongside Anil Kapoor, Arjun Kapoor, and Ileana D’Cruz. Set in Punjab and London, the movie was a box office success, grossing about Rs 93 crores, although it received mixed reviews. Athiya played Binkle Sandhu, a simple Punjabi girl romantically linked with Charan (Arjun Kapoor) but mistakenly engaged to his twin brother Karan. Her performance garnered a mixed review, reflecting the film’s overall reception.
Nawabzaade
In 2018, Athiya made a special appearance in a popular song, Tere Naal Nachna, for the film Nawabzaade. A catchy composition by Badshah, it is directed by Jayesh Pradhan and produced by Remo D’Souza. The song stars Raghav Juyal, Dharmesh Yelande and Punit Pathak, making it an instant hit with audiences.
Motichoor Chaknachoor
In 2019, Athiya took on the role of Anita Ani Awasthi in Motichoor Chaknachoor, a comedy-drama directed by Debamitra Biswal. Paired with Nawazuddin Siddiqui, she portrayed a young woman eager to settle abroad by marrying an NRI. Though the film itself received mixed reviews, Athiya’s performance as the ambitious Ani stood out.
ATHIYA SHETTY AND KL RAHUL’S LOVE STORY
Athiya Shetty and KL Rahul’s romance blossomed away from the spotlight, with their relationship staying under wraps for a long time. The two reportedly met in February 2019 through a mutual friend, and their connection grew quickly. They kept things private, but fans began to speculate when designer Vikram Phadnis playfully teased Athiya about her relationship on social media. Their first public hint of romance came in December 2019, with a cosy Instagram post during their New Year’s celebration in Thailand, reports Filmfare.
Since then, they have often expressed their affection online, especially on birthdays. In 2021, Rahul made their relationship official with a heartfelt Instagram post and a sweet photo of the two. Even with their visible closeness on social media, they kept their relationship details private, with Suniel Shetty respecting his daughter’s boundaries and refraining from discussing their future plans.
Athiya’s bond with Rahul became more evident as she accompanied him on several of the Indian cricket team’s tours abroad. Their relationship extended into their professional lives, with the couple doing endorsements together. Rahul became close to Athiya’s family, especially when he attended the screening of her brother Ahan Shetty’s film Tadap.
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Over the years, their relationship deepened, and they continued to attend events together, including a memorable outing in Munich with Akansha Ranjan Kapoor. Today, as a happily married couple, Athiya and Rahul remain each other’s biggest support system.