SJ Surya

Biography:

Pandian Samanasu S. J. Suryah, Justin Selvaraj’s stage name, is an Indian Tamil film director, screenwriter, actor, producer, and music director who has primarily worked in the Tamil cinema industry. He wanted to be an actor, but he began directing while working with Vasanth and Sabapathy.

In 1999, Surya made his directorial debut with the film Vaali, whose popularity propelled him to fame. Kushi (2000), New (2004), Anbe Aaruyire (2005), and Isai (2015) are a few of his other well-known movies. He made his acting debut in the movie New and went on to star in Kalvanin Kadhali (2006), Thirumagan (2007), and Vyabari (2007). He also played the antagonist in God Father-True Story of a Man (2016), as well as the protagonist in Kadamaiyai Sei and participated in the films Spyder (2017), Mersal (2017), Maanaadu (2021), and Don (2022).He was last seen as protagonist in Bommai (2023) a romantic thriller.

After finishing high school in Vasudevanallur, a small town in South Tamil Nadu not far from Sankarankovil, Suryah relocated to Chennai to attend Loyola College and earn a degree in physics. He was given the chance to continue his education at a Madurai engineering college, but he turned it down in favor of staying in Chennai and trying to break into the Tamil film industry. He started working in hotels and as a steward to become self-sufficient before being offered an apprenticeship with K. Bhagyaraj. Later, he served as an assistant director on the production teams of Aasai (1995) directed by Vasanth and Sundara Purushan (1996) directed by Sabapathy. He also made uncredited acting appearances, most notably as a cock fighter in Bharathiraja’s Kizhakku Cheemayile (1993).