Tamil Features

Simply Suriya: The Star’s Lesser-Known Side

Suriya’s Anjaan has had a massive opening, if the numbers revealed by trade analysts are anything to go by. Besides a long weekend to their advantage, the film also screened in a record number of theatres. The Anjaan release celebrations reached a feverish pitch on Friday with fans putting up banners and hoardings of the actor across the city and clogging social media sites with the film’s content. Suriya, however, seemed impervious to all the excitement and restlessness, when we met the star at the Google Hangout organised by Sony Music South on Independence day.

Suriya connected with some of his fans at the hangout, gracefully accepting compliments and bantering with callers. We bring you a few nuggets from the freewheeling chat-

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  • There is a solid ‘bromance’ brewing between Suriya and director Lingusamy. Suriya was impressed with Sandakozhi. And since then had always dreamed of working with Lingusamy. “A special bond exists between us,” Suriya revealed.
  • We know it was Vasanth who introduced Suriya to Tamil cinema in Nerukku Ner. Suriya considers Vasanth  his guru. But it was Bala who changed his perspective on cinema.
  • Director Bala wanted him to wink more often when they were making Nandha. Suriya didn’t know how and that’s when Bala told him, “Remember how Jo winks? You need to wink like her!” Now he says he winks all the time.
  • Suriya had to sport two different looks in Anjaan. The one that reminds us Varanam Aayiram, who made Sameera go bonkers with his guitar and the other rugged, baddy look for the role of Raju Bhai. Suriya browsed through piles of pictures and finally found what he wanted when he saw picture of David Beckham. Thanks to the footballer! We have Suriya in an all new avatar in Anjaan.
  • The 39-year-old actor is often cautioned by Jo and his friends to look after his physique. So he eats healthy and spends a lot of time working out. “My heroines are almost half my age. I need to match up,” he states. Well, point taken!
  • Suriya is not a one-take actor. He rehearses before takes and doesn’t mind a few extra takes. “Flawless performance is his motto,” he says.
  •  Suriya isn’t hesitant to confess that his onscreen friend Vidyut Jammwal steals the show in Anjaan. “Vidyut’s aura is magnetic,” said the star. “Those days, everybody talked only about the hero. But now we have Vidyut’s kind of actors accompanying us. And they bag all the laurels,” he shared, adding that he was mighty impressed with his performance. Now wonder director Lingusamy called their ‘chemistry’ good.
  • That famous smile of his isn’t something that the actor lavishes. And this trait of Suriya apparently peeves Jyothika. Recalling their conversation, Suriya said, “Jo keeps asking me why I don’t laugh often? What do I do? I’m always serious!”
  • Suriya lent his voice for the Ek Do Teen song from Anjaan. The actor said it was he who petered Yuvan Shankar Raja for a chance to sing it. “Audiences have forgiven me for singing,” he joked later.
  • He wound up with the big promise to be on Twitter soon. Good news, really!

The Google Hangout was an hour long chat with Suriya, watch it here. Do check out our gallery of exclusive pictures of Suriya here.