In 2001, SJ Suryah directed "Khushi" starring Pawan Kalyan, which became a monumental hit in Telugu cinema and solidified Suryah’s reputation as a prominent filmmaker in South Indian cinema. Despite his success, Suryah harbored a different ambition: to become a lead actor.

“Back in the ’90s, no one was ready to cast me as a lead actor or produce my films. So I had to direct films to make a name for myself,” Suryah recalls. His infectious laughter, familiar to many from his memorable performance in AR Murugadoss' "Spyder," punctuates his reflections.

In mid-2016, Suryah was poised to direct the Telugu remake of "Veeram" with Pawan Kalyan. However, just before filming began, he surprised everyone by stepping down to focus on his acting career. Few anticipated his commitment, but his subsequent success, particularly in Tamil cinema, speaks volumes. “Before I turned director, I was scared that I would end up becoming an unsuccessful actor or remain a junior artiste for the rest of my life. Thankfully, that didn’t happen. Now, I couldn’t be happier with the way things are going,” he states.

Suryah’s decision to focus on acting came after receiving rave reviews for his role in Karthik Subbaraj’s "Iraivi." Although he briefly returned to directing, his passion for acting took precedence.

SJ Suryah’s journey from a director to a celebrated lead actor is definietly a huge decision that we all been looking up to. Whether making audiences laugh or holding his own as a formidable villain, Suryah is currently living his dream.

Source / Image Credit : First Post, ABP Live