Aamir Khan put my name on the map with 'Ghajini': Suriya

Mumbai: Aamir Khan should be credited for his journey from being just a Tamil actor to becoming a star recognised all over the country, National Award winner Suriya said on Wednesday.

Aamir famously starred in the 2009 hit Ghajini, a remake of Suriya's Tamil movie of the same name. Both the 2005 original and the Hindi-language remake were directed by A R Murugadoss.

Suriya's Ghajini, in which he played a man with anterograde amnesia seeking revenge on those who killed his fiancee, was a hit in Tamil Nadu but gained nationwide popularity after the success of Aamir's film.

"It all started with Aamir sir talking to the media about me, telling them that I was the one who starred in the original version of Ghajini. He introduced me to the entire fraternity and media all over our country. Sincere thanks to him for putting my name on the map," Suriya told reporters.

He was speaking at the trailer launch of his upcoming movie Kanguva.

Similarly, Suriya also credits his wider recognition to Ajay Devgn’s Singham, the Rohit Shetty-directed 2011 cop action movie that was a remake of the Tamil star’s 2010 film of the same title.

"Singham was a very important film, which again brought me to the masses. Recently, when I went to Varanasi, people still remember me as 'Singham Suriya' and all that," he said.

At the event, one reporter called Suriya a superstar, but the actor said he knows only one superstar — Rajinikanth.

"You can't just take away the title from one person and make it a badge for another. I never thought I'd be in the film industry. I didn’t know I’d be facing the camera, despite my dad being from the industry. I’ve received a lot of love and blessings from all over the country," he said.

His next movie Kanguva, scheduled for release on November 14, is a fantasy action film directed by Siva.

Billed as a “mighty valiant saga,” the movie features Bobby Deol as the antagonist.

"It is not easy to stand in front of Bobby sir and say, 'I'm standing in front of you.' I need to gather all my courage, strength, and conviction to stand in front of him and challenge him," Suriya said.

Suriya also expressed his gratitude to the directors he has worked with over the past two decades.

"It's been 27 years. Still, people want to watch me, and filmmakers still want to cast me. If they have a script and think of me, it's because of my previous producers and directors who have kept me relevant all these years."

"Hopefully, people will get a new experience with 'Kanguva', just like they have showered their love and wishes on my previous films," he added.

At the event, producer K E Gnanavel Raja revealed that the team is already planning a sequel to Kanguva.

"The plan for part two is already underway. But if I say more, I might have to reveal something about the story, so that’s a surprise for the audience," he said.

Backed by UV Creations and Studio Green, Kanguva also features actors Disha Patani, Jagapathi Babu, and Yogi Babu in pivotal roles. The film will be released in 3D in 10 different languages.