Happy birthday, Suriya! Looking at National Award winner's breakthrough roles
What's the story
National Award-winning actor Suriya Sivakumar, better known as Suriya, turned 47 on Saturday (July 23).
Ever since his debut in 1997, he has established himself as a bonafide pan-India superstar.
Due to his risk-taking attitude, humility, and ability to connect with audiences instantly, his stardom has only been on an upward trajectory.
Today, we revisit five of his best roles.
#1
'24'
Playing dual roles in a film is arduous enough, but here Suriya went an extra mile by playing three characters in different time zones, thereby carrying the entire film on his seasoned shoulders!
He played a maverick scientist, the scientist's carefree son, and a ruthless villain!
Add to it dollops of emotion and a tightly knit time-travel story, and 24 becomes a must-watch.
#2
'Maattrraan'
Suriya certainly has a knack for playing roles that demand him to step out of his comfort zone and prove his mettle as an actor.
In Maattrraan, he played the role of two identical twins.
The twist in the tale? They were conjoined!
A box-office success, the action thriller also happened to be the first Indian film to use performance capture technology.
#3
'Nandha'
The Tamil action drama film came out in 2001 and chronicled the life of a man who returns from a correction facility and endeavors to settle into society once again.
The eponymous role, the first of its kind for Suriya, won him nationwide critical acclaim and he went on to be felicitated with the prestigious Tamil Nadu State Award for Best Actor.
#4
'Pithamagan'
Pithamagan marked the collaboration of two South superstars—Suriya and Vikram—and the Bala directorial was released in 2003 to rave reviews.
The emotional drama was centered around the lives of two friends: a conman and a social outcast.
The role ushered in immense critical acclaim for Suriya, who was honored with a Filmfare South Award for Best Supporting Actor-Tamil.
You can watch it on YouTube.
#5
'Vaaranam Aayiram'
This National Award-winning film starred Suriya, Sameera Reddy, Simran, and Divya Sapandana aka Ramya.
Yet another movie to star the Tamil superstar in double roles (a father and a son), the Gautham Vasudev Menon directorial was centered around a son's reminiscence of his father's memories.
Suriya's emotive performance emerged as the film's highlight and he was termed "magical and an actor who rocks throughout."