Suriya made his debut in the world of cinema at the age of 22. Son of veteran actor Sivakumar and Lakshmi, he did not venture directly into films. He first worked at a garment exports factory and then in 1997 made his acting debut with the film Nerrukku Ner that was bankrolled by Mani Ratnam. His journey into cinema commenced in late '90s and he did have few commercially successful films to his credit. But it was in 2001 when he landed his breakthrough role and that was with the movie Nandha. From playing the role of a conman in Pithamagan to a rough and tough cop in Singam, he ruled hearts with his stellar performances. Suriya Birthday Special: 5 Best Scenes Of The National Award Winning Actor In Soorarai Pottru!

Suriya, the heartthrob of Tamil Cinema, celebrates his 48th birthday today. It has been more than two decades since he has been delivering blockbusters and entertaining fans across the globe. Besides being known for his versatility, Suriya is also known for his down-to-earth nature. As he turns a year older today, let’s take a look at some of the best films of the National Award-winning actor. Kanguva First Look Out! Makers To Unveil First Glimpse Of Suriya's Highly Anticipated Movie On July 23! (View Pic).

Pithamagan

Suriya was seen as conman in director’s Bala’s film. He shared screen space with Chiyaan Vikram who won National Film Award for Best Actor for his performance as Chithan. Suriya’s effortless performance won hearts and till date it is considered as one of his finest performances.

Ghajini

This time the audience got to watch Suriya as Sanjay Ramaswamy, a renowned business tycoon, who develops anterograde amnesia due to a traumatic brain injury. The incident happens when he tries to save his girlfriend’s (played by Asin) life. Suriya takes everyone by surprise with his revengeful avatar where he sets out to avenge the death of his lover. Apart from his acting, it is his physical transformation that left every astonished.

Singam

Director Hari’s cop universe is one of the biggest hits in Suriya’s career. Watching the actor in a police officer’s role was a treat for fans. From his rough and tough look to him sporting handlebar moustache, everything about Singam was appealing. Singam II and Si3 too turned out to be blockbusters. Post the release of the third installment, Suriya assured fans that he and Hari would collaborate for a fourth film in the series.

Soorarai Pottru

The film by Sudha Kongara bagged five awards at the 68th National Film Awards, including Best Actor Award for Suriya. He portrayed the character Nedumaaran Rajangam aka Maara, a former Indian Air Force captain, who dreams of starting a low-cost carrier airline. His engrossing act, the compelling narrative and the entire set up kept the audience hooked. The film will now be remade in Hindi with Akshay Kumar stepping into Suriya’s shoes and would be helmed by Sudha Kongara.

Jai Bhim

The legal drama saw Suriya as advocate Chandru. He played a brilliant role by portraying the character of a lawyer who fights cases for tribal communities. This hard-hitting and intense courtroom drama once again proved that Suriya is a powerhouse of talent.

Suriya has played a varied ranged of roles over the years and right now, one cannot wait to watch him in Kanguva and Vaadivaasal. Here’s wishing the versatile actor of Tamil Cinema, Suriya Sivakumar, a very happy birthday and many more amazing projects in the future.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 23, 2023 12:01 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).