Suriya Sivakumar: Lesser known facts

Suriya Sivakumar, one of the most loved actors in the Tamil film industry, is well-known for his versatile roles and impressive acting skills. This handsome actor has delivered several big hits such as Khakka Khakka, Singham, Ghajini and many more. Here are some things you probably might not have known about Suriya...

Life before cinema

Suriya was born on July 23, 1975 to veteran Tamil actor Sivakumar and his wife Lakshmi. He studied at Padma Seshadri Bala Bhavan School and St. Bede's Anglo Indian Higher Secondary School and acquired his degree from Loyola College in Chennai. Before making his debut in Tamil films, the Singam actor worked at a garment company for a short while. His brother Karthik Sivakumar is also a popular actor in the Tamil film industry.

Real name

Though the Tamil film industry and his fans know him as Suriya, this is not his real name. The handsome hunk’s birth name is Saravanan Sivakumar. The name Suriya was given to him by director Mani Ratnam so as to avoid clash of names with actor, Saravanan. Mani Ratnam is known to have frequently used the name Suriya for characters in his films.

When friendship blossomed into love

In 2006, Suriya married pretty Tamil actress, Jyothika. It is said that, initially the couple were very good friends. Gradually their friendship turned into love and soon resulted in marriage. This lovely couple has worked together in several films, including Kaakha Kaakha, Perazhagan and Sillunu Oru Kaadhal, and is known for their sizzling on-screen chemistry.The pair is blessed with two children – a daughter named Diya and a son named Dev. Jyothika had discontinued her career in films following her marriage, but made a comeback with the 2015 film, 36 Vayadhinile.

Big break

Suriya made his debut in Tamil films with the 1997 film, Nerukku Ner, which was directed by Vasanth and produced by Mani Ratnam. His first four years in the industry was not a fruitful one. However, the actor got his big break with the 2001 drama film, Nandha, in which he played the role of an ex-convict. The film was a commercial success and received much critical acclaim. Suriya also went on to receive a Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Actor for his performance in Nandha.

Growth as an actor

In 2003, the charming actor played the role of a police officer in the film, Kaaka Kaaka, which received positive reviews. The actor’s roles in films such as Pithamagan, Perazhagan, Aaytha Ezhuthu, Ghajini and Sillunu Oru Kaadhal let him establish himself as a superstar in Kollywood. Some other popular films of the actor include Vel, Vaaranam Aayiram, Ayan, Aadhavan, Singam, 7aum Arivu and Singam II. This talented actor has received the Tamil Nadu State Film Awards thrice in his career. Apart for acting, the Ghajini star has also tried his hands at film production and playback singing.