S. J. Surya

S. J. Suryah (born Selvaraj Justin Pandian, 20 July 1968) is an Indian actor, film director, producer, playback singer and writer who works mainly in Tamil cinema. He set out to be an actor but began as a director, and his debut, Vaalee (1999), made his name. His other notable films as director include Kushi (2000), New (2004), Anbe Aaruyire (2005) and Isai (2015). In recent years he has become known for playing antagonists, in films such as Spyder (2017), Saripodhaa Sanivaaram (2024) and Game Changer (2025).

Early life

Suryah was born into a Tamil family in Vasudevanallur, in Tenkasi district, to Sammanasu Pandian and Anandham, and has an older sister, Selvi, and an older brother, Victor. After school near his birthplace he moved to Chennai to study physics at Loyola College. He turned down a place at an engineering college in Madurai so that he could stay in Chennai and try to break into Tamil films, supporting himself with work in hotels and as a steward.

Apprenticeship

He got his start apprenticing under K. Bhagyaraj, and then worked as an assistant director on Vasanth’s Aasai (1995) and Sabapathy’s Sundara Purushan (1996). In the same years he appeared in small uncredited roles, notably as a cock fighter in Bharathiraja’s Kizhakku Cheemayile (1993).

Vaalee and Kushi

While working on Ullaasam (1997), he was recognised by its star, Ajith Kumar, who remembered him from Aasai and agreed to hear his script. Impressed, Ajith helped bring in producer S. S. Chakravarthy, and Vaalee went into production in late 1997. The thriller, which also introduced Jyothika, was well reviewed and a commercial success, launching both Suryah and his lead actors.

Producer A. M. Rathnam then backed Kushi (2000), a romantic comedy about two egotistical lovers set against a college backdrop, starring Vijay and Jyothika. It drew positive reviews and did well commercially, and Jyothika won the Filmfare Award for Best Actress in Tamil for it.

Telugu Kushi

Suryah remade the film in Telugu, also as Kushi (2001), with Pawan Kalyan, who prioritised it over two other projects after hearing the narration, and Bhumika Chawla in Jyothika’s role. Some changes were made for Telugu audiences, including extra action scenes that Pawan Kalyan asked for; Suryah agreed to them but stayed away from the set while they were shot. Released in June 2001, it was well reviewed and became the most successful Telugu film ever at the time of its release, with critics crediting his screenplay. A Hindi version, Khushi (2003), with Fardeen Khan and Kareena Kapoor, fared poorly.

Turning actor

Suryah had planned New, which he also produced, with Ajith, but when the star became busy he took the lead role himself, saying he had always wanted to act. Loosely inspired by the Hollywood film Big, it tells of an 8-year-old boy turned into a 28-year-old man by a scientist. He shot a Telugu version, Naani, simultaneously, with Mahesh Babu in the lead and Ramya Krishnan in the supporting cast. New opened in July 2004 to mixed reviews but became a blockbuster, while Naani was received poorly. The film’s adult content drew controversy and a legal dispute over its censor certificate.

He starred again in Anbe Aaruyire (2005), which he described as a sequel in spirit to Kushi, and it became his fourth straight commercial success in Tamil. He then acted for other directors, playing a casanova opposite Nayanthara in Kalvanin Kadhali (2006) and a double role alongside Tamannaah in Viyabari (2007); neither that film nor Thirumagan succeeded.

Later career

He returned to Telugu as director with Puli, a police thriller starring Pawan Kalyan and scored by A. R. Rahman. It took close to three years to make and was released in September 2010 to negative reviews that faulted its script. He had a guest role in Shankar‘s Nanban (2012).

His later acting career has centred on villain roles, among them Spyder (2017), Mersal (2017), Maanaadu (2021), Don (2022), Mark Antony (2023), Indian 2 (2024), Saripodhaa Sanivaaram (2024), Game Changer (2025) and Love Insurance Kompany (2026). He has also played leads in Kadamaiyai Sei (2022) and Jigarthanda DoubleX (2023).

Sources: Wikipedia and Wikidata.