By: Sachin T | July 24, 2026
Superstar Suriya Sivakumar, popularly known as Suriya, is one of the highest-paid Tamil actors.
He adopted the screen name "Suriya" before entering the film industry.
Before becoming an actor, Suriya worked in a garment factory for a few months and earned around ₹1,000 as his first salary.
Despite being the son of veteran actor Sivakumar, he entered films without initially revealing his family background.
Suriya made his debut with the Tamil film Nerrukku Ner, directed by Vasanth and produced by Mani Ratnam.
He established Agaram Foundation in 2006, the foundation helps students from economically weaker backgrounds pursue higher education.
Suriya underwent physical and emotional preparation to portray entrepreneur G. R. Gopinath, earning widespread acclaim for the role.
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