Suriya Opens Up About Early Career Struggles And Pay Disparity With Jyothika (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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Tamil actor Suriya is now one of South India’s most celebrated stars, but there was a time early in his career when he earned significantly less than his now-wife, Jyothika. In an interview with Mashable India, Suriya shared that Jyothika’s second film after her Bollywood debut was a Tamil project in which they starred together. It was only his third or fourth film, while Jyothika was already well-prepared and professional. Suriya admitted to struggling on set.
“I was fumbling, forgetting my lines, and didn’t know how to act,” he said, praising Jyothika’s dedication to learning her lines in advance. “I had a lot of respect for her work ethic.”
Jyothika‘s career quickly took off, while Suriya took nearly five years to carve out his own space in the industry. By the time they worked together on Kaakha Kaakha, Jyothika earned three times more than Suriya.
Reflecting on their journey, Suriya revealed that this disparity in earnings became a pivotal moment in his life. Despite Jyothika’s unwavering support and her parents’ approval of their relationship, Suriya felt the need to rise to the occasion. With determination and hard work, Suriya eventually built his legacy, and everything fell into place, both personally and professionally.
Suriya opened up about their move from Chennai to Mumbai, mentioning that Mumbai is Jyotika’s hometown. Jyotika has been spending time with her parents, having left Mumbai at the age of 18. She lived in Chennai with Suriya for 27 years.
The Kanguva star also shared that their children have opted for the International Baccalaureate (IB) syllabus. It has limited options in Chennai, with only one or two schools offering it. He added that living in Mumbai provides him a sense of anonymity, as most people there don’t recognize him as an actor. This allows him greater freedom and privacy.
