SJ Suryah: How Vasanth Gave Him His Screen Name

Every screen name carries a story, but SJ Suryah’s begins with a single instruction. The actor-director has revealed in a new interview how filmmaker Vasanth turned his birth name, S. Justin Selvaraj, into the compact, chantable identity audiences now know.

The ten-name exercise

Vasanth did not offer a name outright. He asked Suryah to prepare a list of ten names and told him he would pick from it. Because Vasanth admired Mani Ratnam’s cinema, Suryah wrote down the names of heroes from Mani Ratnam’s films and presented the list the following morning, as instructed.

The selection was famously quick:

• Suryah listed ten heroes from Mani Ratnam’s films.
• Vasanth read the list and asked, ‘What Suryah?’
• Suryah replied, ‘Sir,’ and Vasanth said, ‘That’s your name.’

That exchange closed the gap between an original name and a stage name. Vasanth effectively acted as an early brand editor: he set a constraint, reviewed the options and chose the shortest, most screen-ready identity.

Why the screen name works

In Indian cinema, a screen name can be the first piece of casting an audience meets. It sits on posters, in theatre announcements and in fan chants before a single dialogue is heard. Suryah’s name is short, distinct and easy to remember, which matters when an actor is also known as a filmmaker.

There is a practical lesson for anyone building a public identity: present options, let someone with taste edit, and keep what is easy to say. Vasanth’s prompt was simple, but the result has stayed relevant for years.

A Rajinikanth full circle

The origin story has gained fresh attention now that Suryah appears alongside Rajinikanth in Jailer 2. The Nelson-directed sequel arrived in theatres on October 15, bringing the two stars together in a project fans had been waiting for. Suryah described the film as a magical experience and said his happiness is closely tied to the love audiences show Rajinikanth.

He also made a direct request to moviegoers: if they love the superstar, they should extend that support to the team. It is a fitting beat for a performer whose identity began with a list of on-screen heroes and now stands next to one of the most loved heroes in Tamil cinema.

Source: The Times of India