Overnight sensation is not just an overused term, but also, in many cases, a completely misinformed label. Before his Tamil debut in 2025 with Veera Dheera Sooran 2, Suraj Venjaramoodu was an unmissable part of Malayalam cinema for almost 25 years. He was an ace comedian for the longest time before taking a turn towards serious roles a decade back with films like Perariyathavar (2015) and Action Hero Biju (2016). Despite his brief forays back into comedy, Suraj has since 2015 been focusing more on serious roles and playing leads in films across various genres. That is why when Suraj was cast as the primary antagonist in Vikram-SU Arun Kumar’s Veera Dheera Sooran 2, no one batted an eyelid. Everyone knew him as the grand old man of Android Kunjappan, the hapless husband in Action Hero Biju and Thondimuthalum Drikshaakshiyum, and the voiceless victim of social media trolling in Vikruthi. Then… Suraj began giving promotional interviews to various Tamil YouTube channels, and people weren’t sure where to place this versatile actor. “I was actually very worried whether they’d understand the jokes I was cracking. Will they be on the same wavelength? In fact, I ran some of the jokes by my friends to ensure I wasn’t saying anything wrong. But, I can’t help being frank and funny, right?” asks Suraj, who is playing yet another serious role in Vignesh Raja’s Kara, which has him pitted against fellow National award-winner Dhanush.

Suraj shares that a call from cinematographer Theni Eswar connected him with the Por Thozhil filmmaker. “I quite enjoyed watching his debut film, and what stood out was the depth in each of those characters. I so wanted to work with him, and that’s when Theni Eswar reached out, saying that I’d get a call from Vignesh, and I shouldn’t let it go, come what may,” says Suraj, recollecting the call he received from the filmmaker a few days later. “After narrating, he said that it would be wonderful if I would play the character, and I told him that I’d decided to do the film the moment his number came on my phone.” Having worked with some of the biggest names in Malayalam cinema, Suraj points out that another strength of Vignesh Raja was his interaction with his actors. Giving an example as to how he was balancing films like Kara, Rajinikanth’s Jailer 2, and Shivarajkumar’s upcoming Kannada project, Suraj says, “Vignesh Raja is very clear as to what he wants, and there is no confusion on the sets. Every department knows exactly what is needed, and Vignesh can concentrate on his actors. Since I was working on multiple projects at once, he would talk to me and help me get into my character's mindset. He motivates you to give the best, and guides you to bring out our interpretation of his characters.”

But given the onslaught of serious roles in his career, does Suraj miss doing comedies? “Comedy is my absolute favourite genre, and I do miss it. Even recently, Mohiniyattam has been doing really well, but yeah, as an actor, I love being challenged. After 275-odd films in Malayalam, I still have the urge to learn. We must travel with cinema, and wait for the right detours. Most importantly, the thirst for challenge and risk-taking is paramount for an actor. Never settle,” says Suraj, who was also part of the recent runaway success, Youth, which allowed him to flex his comic skills in Tamil.

Reinventing himself for a new audience has clearly been a high for Suraj, who is reveling in the kind of projects that are coming his way from outside Kerala. The actor also points out that he was initially concerned about taking on projects in a different language, but the audience reminded him of an important tenet of cinema. “When I used to visit Sabarimala, I had non-Malayali audiences asking me when I’d act in films of their language. Huge credit goes to OTT for making me reach these many fans, and even bigger love for the fans who told me, ‘Language shouldn’t be a barrier.’ If they are ready, why should I refrain myself?” asks Suraj, who reveals that it has made his acting process different, but that’s the price he is willing to pay. “I write my dialogues in Malayalam, learn its meaning, practice it multiple times, and for a change, I am not flustered when there is time between shots.”

If OTT gave him a new audience, it was social media that cemented his legacy. Various characters from his filmography, including Dashamoolam Damu, continue to live on in stickers and memes, and Suraj takes a moment to thank them before signing off, “While doing those characters, I never thought it would be remembered for so long. Big salute to the troll pages, and I owe a lot to such social media creators for keeping me relevant through everything, and not just an overnight sensation.”