I think truth is too strong a word to use in such a trivial context, and I would rather call this some interesting facts about Tamil actor Suriya. (In fact I had earlier written this as an answer to another question but in a different context, and am copy pasting the excerpts from there as it fits in perfectly here)
In the year 1997, S.M.Vasanth, one of the popular film-makers in Tamil made a film titled Nerukku Ner, a double hero subject in which he wanted to cast the two most promising young actors of the day, Vijay and Ajithkumar. But as Ajith pulled out of the film ostensibly due to date problems, Saravanan who was the son of veteran actor Sivakumar was rechristened Suriya, and was taken on board in place of Ajith. The film went on to become successful and established Suriya as one of the popular leading men of Tamil film world.
In the year 2001, famed director Bala, fresh from his sleeper hit debut with Sethu, was making his much anticipated second film, Nandha, and initially wanted to cast Ajithkumar in the role of the intense protagonist. Again, as fate would have it, Ajithkumar opted out of the film, and it was Suriya who landed that role of the tough looking angry young man in the movie. That film too went on to win critical acclaim, and more importantly helped Suriya shed his earlier soft and shy chocolate boy image, and gave him a much needed image make over to cement his place as a bankable action hero.
In the year 2003, another popular director, Gautham Menon was planning a stylish cop story, with actor Ajithkumar in mind to play the male lead. Once again Ajithkumar excused himself citing reservations about playing a cop, and Menon finally zeroed in on Suriya, impressed by his performance in Nandha and also reportedly influenced by the recommendation of the leading lady, Jyothika. This film became a game changer for Suriya, and catapulted him to the league of much sought after star-heroes in Tamil.
EDIT with special thanks to Karthic Sivaswamy :
In 2005 yet another rising film maker A.R.Murugadoss had plans of making a film tentatively titled Mirattal with Ajithkumar and Asin in the lead, and even some photo shoots were reportedly held. But the film got subsequently shelved, and ARM then made this in to Ghajini with Suriya in the lead while Asin was retained as the female lead. When released, the film went on to become a block buster, and catapulted Suriya to the pinnacle of filmy stardom.
Till now, we saw how the roles/films rejected by Ajithkumar fortuitously helped Suriya to achieve success and stardom, not once, but four times. But the most interesting coincidence between these two lead actors had its genesis much earlier, and interestingly in the reverse direction.
In 1995, the same director Vasanth was making a thriller film called Aasai and the role of the romantic lead was offered to Suriya, who was then just Saravanan, as his launch vehicle into tinsel world. But he expressed his disinclination to take up acting in movies for a profession, and the role finally went to a very handsome budding actor of the day as his first major lead role, and put him firmly on the road to stardom.
The name of that young actor?
Ajithkumar, of course :)
Source and images : Internet
Nagarajan Srinivas (நாகராஜன் ஸ்ரீனிவாஸ்)'s answer to What are some interesting facts about South Indian actors?
Some other facts about Suriya :
His father Sivakumar is one of the senior actors of Tamil cinema, who has acted in lead roles when Kamal Haasan or Rajinikanth used to play supporting characters in some of his films. He is fondly called “Kalai Ulaga Markandeyan” meaning “The Markandya of Art World” and he was a consummate drawing artist too, who has professional qualifications from the Madras School of Arts.
Suriya’s brother Karthi is also an actor, and a popular hero in south Indian films in his own right.
Suriya, after a long courtship, married actress Jyothika,and before marriage they were successfully paired in many Tamil films.
Suriya is known for charitable work in the field of education, carried out under the aegis of his family run trust named “Agaram Foundation”.
