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Meet actor who debuted as director and was once arrested for misbehaving with woman censor board official
Guess the popular South actor who debuted as a director and was once arrested for throwing a phone at a female censor board official!
Meet a popular actor who started his career as an assistant director and then directed some iconic South films. He has directed actors like Mahesh Babu and Ajith Kumar. This actor was recently seen as the deadly villain in Nani’s film. He was once arrested for angrily throwing a phone at a female censor board official. We are talking about S.J. Suryah.
Who is S.J. Suryah?
S.J. Suryah, born Justin Slevaraj Pandian on July 20, 1968, in Tamil Nadu, was raised in a typical Tamil Christian family. He grew up alongside his two older siblings, a sister named Selvi and a brother named Victor. His upbringing and family dynamics played a significant role in shaping his career and personal life.
Today, S.J. Suryah is a multi-talented figure in the South Indian film industry. He has donned various hats, from actor to lyricist, film director to producer, screenwriter to playback singer, composer to narrator, and even philanthropist. His work spans across Tamil and Telugu films, showcasing his versatility and dedication to the craft. While his ultimate dream was to become an actor, he began his journey as a director, assisting Vasanth and Sabhapathy.
Talking about his education, S.J. Suryah completed his initial school in Vasudevanallur in Tamil Nadu. Later, he shifted to Chennai to complete a physics degree from Loyola College. However, Suryah got an opportunity. After completing his schooling near his birthplace to pursue engineering college in Madurai, he declined the offer to begin his acting career.
S.J. Suryah’s filmography
After deciding to pursue his passion for acting, Suryah stayed in Chennai and worked hard to break into the Tamil film industry. To support himself financially, he took up a job as a hotel steward. This humble beginning showed his determination and the lengths he was willing to go to achieve his dreams.
During this time, he was noticed by filmmaker K. Bhagyaraj. The actor then subsequently worked as an assistant director in the teams of Aasai (1995) under Vasanth and Sundara Purushan (1996) under Sabapathy. It is pertinent to mention that Suryah also appeared in uncredited roles in films like Kizhakku Cheemayile (1993).
In 1999, Suryah's journey from being an Assistant director to Director began. He debuted as a filmmaker with Vaalee. This romantic psychological thriller starred Ajith Kumar, Simran, and Jyotika playing the lead roles. Vaalee became a hit at the box office.
Further, Suryah went on to direct films like Kushi (2000), a romantic comedy film starring Thalapathy Vijay and Jyotika. This film became a blockbuster and was remade in Hindi, Telugu, and Kannada. Interestingly, Suryah also directed the Hindi and Telugu versions of the film. Eventually, in 2004, Suryah debuted as an actor in his third directorial titled New (2004). The same year, he directed the Telugu version of the film Naani, featuring Mahesh Babu and Ameesha Patel.
After that, Suryah concentrated on his acting career for the next few years. He appeared in films such as Kalvanin Kadhali (2006), Thirumagan (2007), Vyabari (2007), and Newtonin Moondram Vidhi (2009). His notable works include Iraivi, Spyder, Mersal, Monster, Maanaadu, Varisu, Bommai, Raayan, and Saripodhaa Sanivaaram, among others, which have contributed significantly to the South Indian film industry.
S.J. Suryah’s arrest
In 2005, S J Surya was arrested by the city police for allegedly throwing a mobile phone at a woman censor board official in a fit of anger. This incident, which occurred during the release of his film 'New ', became a controversial topic over charges of obscenity, causing a sensation in the Tamil film industry.
However, he was later granted bail after Suryah was produced before 14th Metropolitan Magistrate Govindarajulu. Also, in March 2006, the Censor Board filed a complaint against Surya for using stills from deleted scenes from the film. After being arrested for the second time, he was released.
Meanwhile, S.J. Suryah will be seen in Ram Charan’s upcoming film with S Shankar, Game Changer. Apart from the duo, the film will feature Kiara Advani as the female lead.
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