Suniel Shetty to carry mom-in-law's social work forward

Actor Suniel Shetty has decided to carry forward the Save The Children India programme run by his mother-in-law who passed away last month.

"Not just me," Suniel says in his usual self-deprecatory way. "All of us, my wife Mana and her two siblings, and my own parents, we are united in this process of carrying forward my mother-in-law's Save The Children India programme," Suniel told IANS.

Known for her campaign against human trafficking, Suniel's mother-in-law Vipula Kadri passed away April 24.

"I've been actively associated with her social and charitable work. But now it's more than just an association. Her passing away has made it imperative that we don't let her work slacken. She would've wanted us to carry on."

The actor has been approaching corporate companies for his mom-in-law's charitable work.

"Whether it's Jet Airways or Pantaloon, no one has said no to me. We plan to build on her work. She wasn't just my mother-in-law; she was my second mother. All of us, my parents included, are still in shock at her sudden demise. It's very important for us to carry on her legacy."

The entire Shetty and Kadri family have divided Vipula Kadri's work among themselves.

"My father-in-law, who's an architect, was already heavily involved with his wife's work. Now each one of us from the family - we can't call it two families because we are one - has been apportioned a specific wing of her work. We're all leaving behind some of our other duties to give priority to my mother-in-law's projects."

Recalling the harrowing time when she was in hospital, Suniel said: "I was stationed at Amby Valley shooting for my TV show 'The Biggest Loser.'

"Everyday I'd drive from Amby Valley to Mumbai spending as much time with her as possible. I feel I've lost a parent."

It's very important for the new generation to reclaim family values, feels the actor.

"We scoff at heroines who are accompanied to the sets by their mothers. But why don't we see how wonderful it is to have these family ties so visible in an industry that's notorious for its self-serving nature?

"For me it's very important to remind my children every other day about my mother-in-law. They need to know the legacy they've to carry forward."