The chocolate boy who became a star!

While he envisioned becoming an actor since childhood; there’s more to Vijay Suriya than his chocolate boy persona, which egged him on to throw caution to the winds and stick around, even when things didn’t seem as hunky-dory as they are now. At 27, standing strong and at the top his game — and striking an intelligent balance between  mainstream Sandalwood cinema and television, Vijay is in a happy space. In a candid chat with Bengaluru Chronicle, he tells us more ...

“I was about 17 when I started off. Most people believe the ‘chocolate-boy/ cute guy’ image worked in my favour. It was easier to bank on the adulation bit. Yes, it feels nice to be appreciated for your appearance. But, what most people fail to understand is that my decade old journey hasn’t been easy. There was a ‘waiting phase’ that taught me lot more than anything has. Success hasn’t come easy, definitely not for me,” he begins. Hailing from a family of engineers, his decision to pursue a profession in showbiz came as a surprise, followed by support. “Both my parents are ardent movie-buffs. I believe I’ve been fortunate enough to have a liberal upbringing. But, the decision to become an actor was something dad was a little skeptical about. However, on realising I was keen on pursuing it, they suggested I learn aspects of cinema and enrolled me into a film school. This boosted my career,” opines the alumnus of Whistling Woods Academy. Vijay completed his graduation from Christ University, Bengaluru. He adds, “On that note, I believe actors need to have a basic understanding of various aspects of cinema. It not just helps you get better at what you do, it helps you understand your director better,” he says. Vijay, who rose to stardom with Agnisakshi, a popular Kannada telly-series, vouches by how important it is to take baby steps in the industry. “A lot of people sit at home, waiting for a big banner. It’s great to aim for the best. But, what good does it serve if you can’t do justice to the roles, which comes from adequate experience with myriad roles? I’m glad I took those tiny ‘could-have-been-missed’ projects at the start. The bumpy road has helped!” Films like Ishtakamya and  SA to his credit, and a meteoric success of an ongoing telly programme, in which he plays the lead, Vijay Suriya is currently shooting for two movies along side Agnisakshi. While the chock-a-block schedule may give you thoughts about the actor being swamped with work, he disagrees. “I’m probably the one guy who is dabbling films with TV serials. I must attribute the multi-tasking to my show and movie producers who’ve been extremely supportive all through.”

Unlike a bevy of stars who are reticent talking about equations with co-stars, Vijay is a lot more open. “Contrary to my on-screen persona, I’m quite an introvert. I hang out with a handful of friends, who I’ve known since nursery. I can never go all out to be noticed or break the ice! Professionally, both Vaishnavi (his co-star in Agnisakshi) and I have grown as   actors. We share a lot, and she’s one of my confidants on the sets.

Even Rajesh, who plays my brother in the serial, and I have grown closer over time,” he adds. With things looking up on the work-front, he says, “I am halfway through an untitled movie project, and have to complete about 40 percent of this Sandalwood flick, Lucknow to Bangalore, which is directed by Swaroop. I’d like to see how it all pans out.”