Suriya Biography: Age, Wife, Family, Movies, Karuppu & Latest News
Suriya (born Saravanan Sivakumar on 23 July 1975) is an Indian actor, producer and philanthropist who works mainly in Tamil cinema. The elder son of veteran actor Sivakumar, he debuted in Nerukku Ner (1997) and became a star with intense roles in Nandhaa, Kaakha Kaakha, Ghajini and Vaaranam Aayiram, and the hugely popular Singam police series. He won the National Film Award for Best Actor for Soorarai Pottru (2020) and produced the acclaimed Jai Bhim (2021). In 2026 he delivered the biggest hit of his career, Karuppu, followed by the Tamil-Telugu blockbuster Vishwanath & Sons.
Suriya Latest News (2026)
- Vishwanath & Sons (August 2026): Venky Atluri’s Tamil-Telugu romantic family drama released on 14 August 2026, with Suriya as Sanjay Vishwanath, an international shooting champion, opposite Mamitha Baiju. It became his fastest film to cross ₹100 crore worldwide, doing so in two days, and was reported at about ₹170 crore worldwide by day 10, making it one of 2026’s top Tamil releases.
- Karuppu, his career-best hit (May 2026): RJ Balaji’s Karuppu, released on 15 May 2026, cast Suriya as Saravanan, a lawyer secretly linked to the guardian deity Vettai Karuppu, opposite Trisha. With an estimated worldwide gross of over ₹300 crore, it is the highest-grossing film of his career.
- Suriya 47: His next film is with director Jithu Madhavan, known for Aavesham. A release date has not been announced.
Suriya Profile, Age and Wiki
| Bio | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Saravanan Sivakumar |
| Screen name | Suriya |
| Profession | Actor, producer, philanthropist |
| Known for | Kaakha Kaakha, Ghajini, Vaaranam Aayiram, Singam, Soorarai Pottru, Jai Bhim, Karuppu |
| Career | |
| Debut film | Nerukku Ner (1997) |
| Breakthrough | Nandhaa (2001) |
| Highest grosser | Karuppu (2026) |
| Production house | 2D Entertainment (founded 2013) |
| Top award | National Film Award for Best Actor (Soorarai Pottru) |
| Personal Life | |
| Date of birth | 23 July 1975 |
| Age (as of 2026) | 51 years |
| Birthplace | Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu, India |
| Zodiac sign | Leo |
| Nationality | Indian |
| College | Loyola College, Chennai (B.Com) |
| Charity | Agaram Foundation (founded 2006) |
| Relationships and Family | |
| Marital status | Married |
| Wife | Jyothika (actress; married 11 September 2006) |
| Children | Daughter Diya (born 2007), son Dev (born 2010)
|
| Father | Sivakumar (veteran actor) |
| Mother | Lakshmi |
| Siblings | Karthi (actor), Brindha (playback singer) |
Suriya Early Life, Family and Education
He was born Saravanan Sivakumar in Madras (now Chennai) to Tamil actor Sivakumar and his wife Lakshmi. He is the eldest of three children: his younger brother Karthi is also a leading Tamil actor, and his sister Brindha is a playback singer.
He studied commerce at Loyola College, Chennai. Despite his father’s fame, he did not plan to act at first and worked for about eight months at a garment export factory after college. His film career took several years to take off.
Suriya Career
Debut and Breakthrough (1997–2003)
Producer Mani Ratnam and director Vasanth launched Saravanan as “Suriya” in Nerukku Ner (1997), alongside Vijay. His first few films had limited success. The turning point was Bala’s Nandhaa (2001), in which he played an ex-convict, earning wide praise. He followed it with Gautham Vasudev Menon’s police thriller Kaakha Kaakha (2003), playing ACP Anbu Selvan, and Bala’s Pithamagan (2003), in which he played a lively small-time crook. These films established him as a serious actor.
Ghajini, Vaaranam Aayiram and Stardom (2004–2009)
He played a dual role in Perazhagan (2004) and became a major star with A.R. Murugadoss’s Ghajini (2005), as a businessman with short-term memory loss. The film was a huge hit and was later remade in Hindi with Aamir Khan. In Gautham Menon’s Vaaranam Aayiram (2008) he played both father and son, a performance often called one of his best, and K.V. Anand’s Ayan (2009) was another big success.
Singam Series and Commercial Peak (2010–2019)
Hari’s Singam (2010) cast Suriya as the fearless police officer Durai Singam. Its success led to Singam II (2013) and Si3 (2017), making it one of Tamil cinema’s most popular franchises. He also starred in 7 Aum Arivu (2011), playing a circus artist and the monk Bodhidharma, and the science-fiction film 24 (2016), in which he played three roles. In 2013 he founded the production house 2D Entertainment.
Soorarai Pottru, Jai Bhim and National Award (2020–2022)
Sudha Kongara’s Soorarai Pottru (2020), inspired by Air Deccan founder G. R. Gopinath, cast Suriya as Maara, a man determined to start a low-cost airline. Released directly on Amazon Prime Video, it won him the National Film Award for Best Actor and also won Best Feature Film. In Jai Bhim (2021), which he produced, he played lawyer K. Chandru fighting for a tribal family’s justice; the film was widely praised. His surprise cameo as the drug lord Rolex in Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Vikram (2022) became one of the most talked-about scenes of the year.
Kanguva to Karuppu (2024–2026)
He played a double role in the fantasy action film Kanguva (2024) and starred in Karthik Subbaraj’s Retro (2025) as a man raised by a gangster. In 2026 he had two major hits: Karuppu, his highest-grossing film, and Vishwanath & Sons, which did especially well in the Telugu states and overseas.
Movies List (Selected)
| Year | Film | Role / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Nerukku Ner | Debut |
| 2001 | Nandhaa | Nandhaa; breakthrough |
| 2003 | Kaakha Kaakha | ACP Anbu Selvan |
| 2003 | Pithamagan | Sakthi |
| 2005 | Ghajini | Sanjay Ramasamy |
| 2008 | Vaaranam Aayiram | Father and son (dual role) |
| 2009 | Ayan | Deva |
| 2010 | Singam | Durai Singam |
| 2011 | 7 Aum Arivu | Aravind / Bodhidharma |
| 2013 | Singam II | Durai Singam |
| 2016 | 24 | Triple role |
| 2020 | Soorarai Pottru | Maara; National Award |
| 2021 | Jai Bhim | Advocate Chandru; also producer |
| 2022 | Vikram | Rolex (cameo) |
| 2024 | Kanguva | Dual role |
| 2025 | Retro | Lead |
| 2026 | Karuppu | Saravanan; career-best grosser |
| 2026 | Vishwanath & Sons | Sanjay Vishwanath |
Awards and Honours
- National Film Award for Best Actor for Soorarai Pottru.
- National Film Award for Best Feature Film for Soorarai Pottru (as producer).
- Several Filmfare Awards South, including Best Actor (Tamil).
- Several Tamil Nadu State Film Awards.
Suriya Personal Life
He married actress Jyothika on 11 September 2006 in Chennai. The two had acted together in several films, including Kaakha Kaakha. They have a daughter, Diya, born in 2007, and a son, Dev, born in 2010. Jyothika returned to acting after a break and the couple also produce films together through 2D Entertainment.
In 2006 he founded the Agaram Foundation, which supports students from poor families in Tamil Nadu who risk dropping out of school, and has supported thousands of students. He is known as one of the most active philanthropists in Tamil cinema.
Suriya and Family: Sivakumar, Karthi and Jyothika
He belongs to one of Tamil cinema’s best-known film families. His father, Sivakumar, acted in nearly 200 films; his brother Karthi is a successful star known for Paruthiveeran, Kaithi and Ponniyin Selvan; and his wife Jyothika is a popular actress in her own right. The family is also known for its charity work through the Agaram Foundation.
Why Suriya Stands Out
He has balanced mass entertainers like Singam with daring, performance-driven films like Pithamagan, Vaaranam Aayiram, Soorarai Pottru and Jai Bhim. Few stars have won a National Award while also delivering the biggest box-office hit of their career years later. His production work and long-running education charity add to his reputation.
Lesser-Known Facts About Suriya
- His real name is Saravanan; the screen name Suriya was chosen for his debut.
- He worked at a garment export factory before acting.
- His film Ghajini was remade in Hindi with Aamir Khan.
- His cameo as Rolex in Vikram lasted only a few minutes but became iconic.
- Vishwanath & Sons was his fastest film to reach ₹100 crore worldwide.
Related Biographies
- Trisha Biography – co-star in Karuppu
- Anushka Shetty Biography – Singam co-star
- Hansika Motwani Biography – Singam II co-star
- Samantha Ruth Prabhu Biography – co-star in 24
- Tamannaah Bhatia Biography – co-star in Ayan
- More stars: South Indian biographies
Suriya FAQs
How old is Suriya?
Suriya was born on 23 July 1975, so he is 51 years old as of 2026.
What is Suriya’s real name?
His real name is Saravanan Sivakumar. He took the screen name Suriya for his first film, Nerukku Ner (1997).
Who is Suriya’s wife?
Suriya is married to actress Jyothika. They married on 11 September 2006 in Chennai.
How many children does Suriya have?
He has two children with Jyothika: a daughter, Diya (born 2007), and a son, Dev (born 2010).
Are Suriya and Karthi brothers?
Yes. Karthi is Suriya’s younger brother. Both are sons of veteran actor Sivakumar.
Which film won Suriya the National Award?
Suriya won the National Film Award for Best Actor for Soorarai Pottru (2020).
What is Suriya’s highest-grossing movie?
Karuppu (2026) is his highest-grossing film, with an estimated worldwide gross of over ₹300 crore.
Who played Rolex in Vikram?
Suriya played the drug lord Rolex in a cameo at the end of Vikram (2022).
What is Suriya’s next movie?
After Vishwanath & Sons (August 2026), his next film is Suriya 47, directed by Jithu Madhavan.
What is the Agaram Foundation?
Agaram Foundation is Suriya’s charity, founded in 2006, which supports the education of students from poor families in Tamil Nadu.