It seems to be the season of rumours about star daughters. Sara Ali Khan aside, there were also talks within industry circles of Suniel Shetty’s daughter, Athiya, having signed a big project. Some reports recently even went on to claim that the 18-year-old will be making her debut opposite another star kid, Jackie Shroff’s son, Tiger, in Heropanti. Further, some stated that she’s bagged a second project opposite Ranbir Kapoor. We finally get Athiya to open up and clear the air.

Rubbishing all the speculation, she says, “I have not signed any film yet, but yes, I am making my debut this year.”

At the moment, Suniel Shetty’s soft-spoken daughter seems to be in prep mode. To compete in the cutthroat world of Bollywood, already crowded with a few star kids, she recently undertook a course in filmmaking and liberal arts at NYFA (New York Film Academy). She is also undergoing diction training in the city. “I was there (NYFA) for six months, and now, I’m training here. I am attending classes to perfect my Hindi and diction,” Athiya says.

The star kid readily acknowledges the advantage of having an actor for a father and the support that he will obviously provide. “He is always there to support me,” says Athiya. And when she isn’t training to be a Bollywood actor, Athiya helps out her mother, Mana Shetty, who has just opened a new lifestyle store named R House in the city. “I am working with mom also. This is a fantastic project,” she says.