Throwback when Jyothika faced public scrutiny and trolling. (Photo Credit – Instagram)
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Jyothika has received numerous awards including a National Film Award and is regarded as one of the most talented actresses in Indian cinema. The media often ranks her among the top actresses in South India. After enjoying a highly successful career, she took a break from acting in 2006 and married Tamil superstar Suriya. Her film 36 Vayadhinile received positive reviews.
Early Life and Career Beginnings
Jyothika was born into a Punjabi Hindu family. Her father was a film producer which helped pave the way for her entry into the film industry. She made her acting debut in the Hindi movie Doli Saja Ke Rakhna in 1997. However it was in Tamil cinema that she found her true calling.
Suriya on the other hand struggled initially to establish himself as an actor. The two met while filming Poovellam Kettupar in 1999. Despite not being fluent in Tamil, Jyothika’s hard work and impressive dialogue delivery caught Suriya’s attention. Their friendship gradually blossomed into love during the making of the film Kaakha Kaakha.
Jyothika and Suriya got married on September 1, 2006 in a grand ceremony. Their marriage has been strong for over 14 years, and they continue to inspire others with their bond. They have two children: a daughter named Diya born in 2007 and a son named Dev born in 2010.
The Controversy Over Temple Expenditure
Jyothika faced significant backlash after making a comment about the high costs of temple renovations. She suggested that some of this money could be better spent on education, hospitals and schools for the underprivileged. Although her remark was intended to be constructive it offended some in the religious community. They demanded a boycott of her films and called for an apology.
Despite the controversy Jyothika received strong support from the Tamil film industry including her husband Suriya. He publicly stated that he and his family stood by her views.
Facing Online Trolling
Jyothika also experienced online trolling due to a statement she made about voting in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu. During a press conference in Chennai to promote her Hindi film Srikanth, a reporter questioned her decision to go on vacation on election day despite her support for socially relevant films.
Jyothika responded by saying she votes every year but when the reporter corrected her, she mentioned that sometimes people vote privately or online. Her statement led to widespread ridicule online as the option to vote online is not available nationwide.
