When SJ Suryah turned director with Vaali starring Kollywood star Ajith Kumar in 1999, no one imagined that the film would run for 270 days in theatres across Tamil Nadu. Now, 25 years later no one imagined that SJ Suryah would become one of the top ‘villains’ in south cinema starring alongside heroes like Ulaganayagan Kamal Haasan, Vijay, Mahesh Babu, Ram Charan, Nani and Dhanush. 

The Kushi director reportedly pockets around ₹8 to ₹10 crore per film as an actor and seems to be in the best phase of his life at the age of 56. According to the film trade, SJ Suryah is getting paid a much higher remuneration than the other famous B-Town villains in the south, namely Sunjay Dutt, Saif Ali Khan and Bobby Deol.

Interestingly, the Isai director is one of the few Kollywood directors-turned-actors who have been extremely successful in the last few years as an actor. Directors like Samuthirakani, Gautham Vasudev Menon (GVM), Sasikumar, Cheran and Sundar C have all stepped into the acting realm and only some, like GVM and Sundar C, still continue to direct. But the stupendous success that SJ Suryah has achieved in front of the camera is incomparable – in fact, he has become more popular than some mainstream heroes.

The lucky mascot

After Vaali, SJ Suryah delivered one of the biggest blockbusters in Tamil cinema with Thalapathy Vijay – Kushi. The director even went on to direct the film in Telugu with Powerstar Pawan Kalyan and in Hindi with Fardeen Khan. In 2004, he decided to get in front of the camera with his film New and though its adult theme created a controversy, the movie made a killing at the box office. This film proved the director’s mettle as an actor and his next, Anbe Aaruyire, which released to success in 2005 also followed a similar adult theme.

Post 2005 though, the Indian 2 actor’s career went south and he didn’t find success as a director or actor. But when director Karthik Subbaraj offered him a role in the crime drama Iraivi as an alcoholic, struggling film director, the tides changed. His stellar performance in Iraivi saw him land two big roles in 2017 in Mahesh Babu’s Spyder and Vijay’s Mersal. Since then, the Isai director is considered a lucky mascot and top heroes reportedly want him as part of their films.

The villain the audience loves to hate

So, what makes Suryah an audience favourite? Film journalist Bharath Kumar states that SJ Suryah’s versatility and the complex characters he plays on screen have helped him develop a strong fan following. In Karthik Subbaraj’s Jigarthanda Double, X he played a dual role as a gangster, and in Mark Anthony, a sci-fi action comedy, he again played a dual role but with a twist thanks to a time warp. In Monster, the Indian 3 actor started alongside a rat and in Spyder he played a psycho. His role as the raging cop in Nani’s Saripodhaa Sanivaaram was highly appreciated but what is most anticipated now is his role in Shankar’s Game Changer starring Ram Charan.

The roles the Kushi director has taken on have been intense and his desire to push boundaries as a director and actor make him a delight to work with say filmmakers. Telugu star Nani said about his co-star, “SJ Suryah is a terrific actor. I grew up watching the films he directed, and when he transitioned to acting, I was curious but skeptical. Now, I am completely convinced that he is made to act in movies. His screen energy is remarkable, and he brings a unique presence to everything he does. Watching the film (Saripodhaa Sanivaaram) today, it's clear that we wouldn’t have achieved the same impact without him. His acting and presence elevate many scenes, and he deserves a lot of credit for that.”

Kollywood star Sivakarthikeyan who worked with the director in Don praised SJ Suryah for his determination and hard work through which he found success. “SJ Suryah came into the industry doing small roles in films but he felt this was not going bring him success. He turned assistant director then director to earn money. Then he would produce a film himself and become a hero himself. People would have laughed at him then but he achieved it and showed people. Look at his confidence and energy! He had the desire to be a hero and he has become one.”

SJ Suryah has shown that he not only directs but also acts and acts better than most others. His ability to soak in any character and give his own stamp to the role, has made him an audience favourite and directors’ favourite too. In an earlier interview, SJ Suryah had stated he wanted to be a bigger star than Shah Rukh Khan in the Tamil and Telugu market. Today, the South’s favourite villain has clearly achieved that and is well on his way to pan-Indian success.

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