# Jayasurya (ജയസൂര്യ)
**Jayasurya** (ജയസൂര്യ) is an Indian actor, producer, and playback singer who works in [Malayalam cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/malayalam-cinema), born in 1978, who moved from mimicry and television anchoring into films in the late 1990s and became a National Film Award and Kerala State Film Award-winning lead actor.[1](https://en.msidb.org/displayProfile.php?artist=jayasurya&category=actors) • [2](https://malayalam.samayam.com/entertainment/jayasurya-bio) The Malayalam film database MalayalaSangeetham.Info lists him under both "jayasurya" and the native script ജയസൂര്യ, with 120 films as actor, 108 of them released.[1](https://en.msidb.org/displayProfile.php?artist=jayasurya&category=actors) The AMMA (Association of Malayalam Movie Artists) profile on malayalamcinema.com confirms him as a commerce graduate born in 1978 whose first Malayalam film was *Oomapenninu Uriyaadapayyan*, noting that he "started his career as a comedian and then turned to an actor."[3](https://www.malayalamcinema.com/meet-star/profile/jayasurya)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1978, Kochi, Kerala[2](https://malayalam.samayam.com/entertainment/jayasurya-bio) • [4](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1334389/) |
| Lead debut | *Oomappenninu Uriyadappayyan* (ഊമപ്പെണ്ണിന് ഉരിയാടപ്പയ്യൻ), Vinayan, 2002[5](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/jayasurya-who-won-the-kerala-state-film-award-for-the-best-actor-speaks-about-recognition-and-essaying-stand-out-roles/article26397615.ece) |
| Film count | 120 films as actor per the specialist database, 108 released; 100th film reached with *Sunny* in 2020[1](https://en.msidb.org/displayProfile.php?artist=jayasurya&category=actors) • [6](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2020/11/24/jayasurya-completes-malayalam-cinema-sunny-movie.html) |
| National award | National Film Award Special Mention in 2016 for *Su.. Su... Sudhi Vathmeekam* and *Lukka Chuppi*[2](https://malayalam.samayam.com/entertainment/jayasurya-bio) |
| State awards | Kerala State Best Actor 2018 (shared with Soubin Shahir); Kerala State Best Actor 2020 for *Vellam*[5](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/jayasurya-who-won-the-kerala-state-film-award-for-the-best-actor-speaks-about-recognition-and-essaying-stand-out-roles/article26397615.ece) • [7](https://www.republicworld.com/entertainment/malayalam-cinema/jayasurya-a-legacy-of-100-films-tainted-overnight-in-mollywood-metoo-sexual-assualt-controversy-hema-commitee-report) |
| Production | First produced film *Punyalan Agarbattis* (2013); six productions by November 2020[2](https://malayalam.samayam.com/entertainment/jayasurya-bio) • [6](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2020/11/24/jayasurya-completes-malayalam-cinema-sunny-movie.html) |
| Other roles | Also credited as producer and singer in the Malayalam database[1](https://en.msidb.org/displayProfile.php?artist=jayasurya&category=actors) |
## Early life and entry into performance
Jayasurya was born in 1978.[2](https://malayalam.samayam.com/entertainment/jayasurya-bio)
His first stage was mimicry. He joined Kottayam Nazir's Cochin Discovery troupe.[2](https://malayalam.samayam.com/entertainment/jayasurya-bio) In an Onmanorama interview he described hosting shows including "Jagathy Vs Jagathy" and "Fun-Day Jokepot" and doing "nameless cameos in several films between 1995 and 2001."[8](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2020/07/23/jayasurya-malayalam-cinema-career-mimicry-artiste-to-actor.html)
## Film career
The break came through director Vinayan. As *The Hindu* put it, "From being a mimicry artiste and TV anchor, Jayasurya's big break came when he was chosen to play the lead in Vinayan's Oomappenninu Uriyadappayyan in 2002."[5](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/jayasurya-who-won-the-kerala-state-film-award-for-the-best-actor-speaks-about-recognition-and-essaying-stand-out-roles/article26397615.ece) A 2024 Malayalam-language Manorama News retrospective recounts a small role in a hit film around that period, two films in 2001, six in 2002, and his first lead role that same year, described in the feature as the arrival of a new star.[9](https://www.manoramanews.com/digital-exclusives/numma-paranja-nadan/2024/08/14/jayasurya-life-story-numma-paranja-nadan.html)
**Comic recognition.** Through the 2000s he built a name in comic and supporting roles: Onmanorama lists early recognition in *Swapnakkoodu*, *Pulival Kalyanam*, *Chocolate*, and *Gulumaal*.[8](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2020/07/23/jayasurya-malayalam-cinema-career-mimicry-artiste-to-actor.html)
**Turn to serious leads.** "The change of gears for Jayasurya happened in the late 2000s," according to the same account, with acclaimed performances across genres in the 2010 thriller *Cocktail*, the 2011 musical-drama-thriller *Beautiful*, and V.K. Prakash's 2012 romantic drama *Trivandrum Lodge*.[8](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2020/07/23/jayasurya-malayalam-cinema-career-mimicry-artiste-to-actor.html)
## Awards and recognition
Three honors define his critical standing. First, the National Film Award: Samayam Malayalam reports that in 2016 he received a National Film Award Special Mention for his performances in *Su.. Su... Sudhi Vathmeekam* and *Lukka Chuppi*.[2](https://malayalam.samayam.com/entertainment/jayasurya-bio) (A Republic World retrospective describes this Special Mention as won in 2015; the discrepancy is between announcement year and the year some accounts assign, and this article follows the Malayalam-language source's 2016 dating.)[7](https://www.republicworld.com/entertainment/malayalam-cinema/jayasurya-a-legacy-of-100-films-tainted-overnight-in-mollywood-metoo-sexual-assualt-controversy-hema-commitee-report)
Second, the [Kerala State Film Award for Best Actor](https://www.edgepedia.org/kerala-state-film-award-for-best-actor) in 2018, shared with [Soubin Shahir](https://www.edgepedia.org/soubin-shahir).[5](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/jayasurya-who-won-the-kerala-state-film-award-for-the-best-actor-speaks-about-recognition-and-essaying-stand-out-roles/article26397615.ece) Onmanorama notes that *Njan Marykutty*, "which got him the Kerala State Film Award for playing a trans woman in the film," was a 2018 hit drama.[8](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2020/07/23/jayasurya-malayalam-cinema-career-mimicry-artiste-to-actor.html) Third, a second Best Actor award in 2020 for *Vellam*.[7](https://www.republicworld.com/entertainment/malayalam-cinema/jayasurya-a-legacy-of-100-films-tainted-overnight-in-mollywood-metoo-sexual-assualt-controversy-hema-commitee-report)
## Work beyond acting
**Production.** He entered film production in 2013 with *Punyalan Agarbattis*, directed by Ranjith Shankar.[2](https://malayalam.samayam.com/entertainment/jayasurya-bio) By November 2020 he had produced six movies, and his 100th film *Sunny* was bankrolled by the actor himself.[6](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2020/11/24/jayasurya-completes-malayalam-cinema-sunny-movie.html)
**Singing.** The Malayalam film database records his areas of contribution as actors, producer, and singers.[1](https://en.msidb.org/displayProfile.php?artist=jayasurya&category=actors)
## By the numbers
The MalayalaSangeetham.Info filmography database credits him with 120 movies acted in, of which 108 were released, with a first movie year of 1995 and a last movie year of 2026, a career span of about three decades counting the uncredited cameo years.[1](https://en.msidb.org/displayProfile.php?artist=jayasurya&category=actors)
## What has changed since 2023
Republic World's retrospective reported *Eesho* (released on 5 October 2022) as his last release at the time.[7](https://www.republicworld.com/entertainment/malayalam-cinema/jayasurya-a-legacy-of-100-films-tainted-overnight-in-mollywood-metoo-sexual-assualt-controversy-hema-commitee-report) Also in August 2024, Manorama News published a Malayalam-language career retrospective in its "Numma Paranja Nadan" series, signaling his continued standing in Kerala's popular press.[9](https://www.manoramanews.com/digital-exclusives/numma-paranja-nadan/2024/08/14/jayasurya-life-story-numma-paranja-nadan.html)
## References
1. [jayasurya / ജയസൂര്യ — MalayalaSangeetham.Info Malayalam Actors Filmography](https://en.msidb.org/displayProfile.php?artist=jayasurya&category=actors)
2. [ജയസൂര്യ : ജയസൂര്യ സിനിമകൾ, ജീവചരിത്രം, വാർത്തകൾ — Samayam Malayalam](https://malayalam.samayam.com/entertainment/jayasurya-bio)
3. [Jayasurya profile — malayalamcinema.com (official AMMA website)](https://www.malayalamcinema.com/meet-star/profile/jayasurya)
4. [Jayasurya — IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1334389/)
5. ["The dream is to be part of good films": Jayasurya — The Hindu](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/jayasurya-who-won-the-kerala-state-film-award-for-the-best-actor-speaks-about-recognition-and-essaying-stand-out-roles/article26397615.ece)
6. [Jayasurya completes 100th movie in Malayalam cinema — Onmanorama](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2020/11/24/jayasurya-completes-malayalam-cinema-sunny-movie.html)
7. [Jayasurya: A Legacy Of 100 Films — Republic World](https://www.republicworld.com/entertainment/malayalam-cinema/jayasurya-a-legacy-of-100-films-tainted-overnight-in-mollywood-metoo-sexual-assualt-controversy-hema-commitee-report)
8. [Jayasurya on transition from mimicry artiste to actor — Onmanorama](https://www.onmanorama.com/entertainment/interviews/2020/07/23/jayasurya-malayalam-cinema-career-mimicry-artiste-to-actor.html)
9. [വിശ്വസിച്ച് ഏല്പ്പിച്ചാല് വിസ്മയിപ്പിക്കും; പേര് "ജയസൂര്യ" — Manorama News](https://www.manoramanews.com/digital-exclusives/numma-paranja-nadan/2024/08/14/jayasurya-life-story-numma-paranja-nadan.html)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Malayalam film actors › Surnames symbols to K*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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