T. SURIAVELAN
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T. Suriavelan (born 25 June 1992) is a Singaporean filmmaker, television director, actor, screenwriter, lyricist, composer, and producer. He primarily works in Tamil-language films, television productions, music videos, and digital entertainment. Throughout his career, he has frequently undertaken multiple creative responsibilities within a single production, including directing, writing, producing, acting, composing, and lyric writing.
He is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of 360 Entertainment Productions, a Singapore-based media production company involved in feature films, television programmes, music videos, advertising productions, and digital entertainment.
Early life and education
T. Suriavelan was born on 25 June 1992 in Singapore to Tamil parents. Growing up in a culturally rooted environment, he developed an early interest in cinema, storytelling, and the performing arts.
He completed a Diploma in Biomedical Engineering from Nanyang Polytechnic, Singapore. Although his academic training was in engineering, he later pursued a full-time career in the entertainment industry by combining his technical knowledge with his passion for filmmaking.
Career
Television
In 2026, Suriavelan wrote and directed Must Date the Playboy, a coming-of-age romantic drama series for Mediacorp Vasantham. Adapted from the Philippine novel of the same title by Imma Delos Santos, the 28-episode series featured two original songs, Oru Murai and Thalli Pogura, both written and composed by Suriavelan.
Earlier, he directed, wrote, produced, and acted in Naam 2 (2022), following the success of Naam (2020), where he similarly managed multiple creative roles. During the same period, he also created the six-episode romantic comedy Mitara (2020), produced under Singapore's Stories4SG initiative.
His television breakthrough came with Avathaaram (2019), following the successful development of Avathaaram (Pilot) through Mediacorp Vasantham's Muthal Paarvai initiative. The series earned nominations in nine categories at Pradhana Vizha 2021, including Best Drama and Best Director, while Suriavelan was also nominated for Most Popular Male Personality.
Before becoming a director, he appeared as an actor in Bommalattam (2019), Yaar? (Season 2) (2018), Kalaba Kadhala (2018), Vetri (Season 3) (2016), and Neeya (2015).
Film career
Suriavelan made his feature film directorial debut with Joe: The Black Assassin (2017). Besides directing, he also wrote, produced, acted in, and contributed lyrics for the film.
The film became one of Singapore's notable Tamil independent productions after achieving a sold-out screening at a 1,000-seat theatre and completing theatrical runs of 21 days in Singapore and 14 days in Malaysia. Among its soundtrack, Saaral Mazhaiyaa, written by Suriavelan, received recognition for its lyrical composition.
Music career
Suriavelan has also built a career as a lyricist, composer, singer, and music video director.
His latest releases include Oru Murai and Thalli Pogura from Must Date the Playboy (2026), for which he served as composer, lyricist, singer, and director.
His contributions to the Naam series include Kannoram, Adi Penne (Reprise), Adi Penne (Duet), Adi Penne (Dad's Love), En Anbe, Alli Pookal, One Love One Life, and Enakku Mattum.
Earlier releases include Vilagathey, Uyarai Kettal, Sagiyae, Kannu Rendum, Saaral Mazhaiyaa, and Usuraiya Tholaichaen.
Artistic style
Suriavelan is known for combining narrative storytelling with music-driven productions while frequently handling multiple creative responsibilities within a single project. His works primarily target Tamil-speaking audiences in Singapore while also reaching viewers across Malaysia, India, and the global Tamil diaspora.
Filmography
Feature films
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Actor | Producer | Lyricist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | Joe: The Black Assassin | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
Television
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Actor | Producer | Lyricist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Must Date the Playboy | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 2022 | Naam 2 | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2020 | Naam | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| 2020 | Mitara | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | |
| 2019 | Bommalattam | ✓ | ||||
| 2019 | Avathaaram | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| 2019 | Avathaaram (Pilot) | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ||
| 2018 | Yaar? (Season 2) | ✓ | ||||
| 2018 | Kalaba Kadhala | ✓ | ||||
| 2016 | Vetri (Season 3) | ✓ | ||||
| 2015 | Neeya | ✓ |
Music videos
| Song | Film / Series | Year | Role(s) | Director |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oru Murai | Must Date the Playboy | 2026 | Composer, Lyricist, Singer | ✓ |
| Thalli Pogura | Must Date the Playboy | 2026 | Composer, Lyricist, Singer | ✓ |
| Kannoram | Naam Series | 2022 | Lyricist | ✓ |
| Adi Penne (Reprise) | Naam Series | 2022 | Composer, Lyricist | ✓ |
| Adi Penne (Duet) | Naam Series | 2021 | Composer, Lyricist | ✓ |
| Adi Penne (Dad's Love) | Naam Series | 2021 | Composer, Lyricist | ✓ |
| En Anbe | Naam Series | 2021 | Composer, Lyricist | ✓ |
| Alli Pookal | Naam Series | 2021 | Lyricist | ✓ |
| One Love One Life | Naam Series | 2020 | Lyricist | ✓ |
| Enakku Mattum | Naam Series | 2020 | Lyricist | ✓ |
| Vilagathey | Standalone Single | 2019 | Lyricist | ✓ |
| Uyarai Kettal | Avathaaram | 2019 | Lyricist | ✓ |
| Sagiyae | Standalone Single | 2018 | Lyricist | ✓ |
| Kannu Rendum | Standalone Single | 2018 | Lyricist, Singer | ✓ |
| Saaral Mazhaiyaa | Joe: The Black Assassin | 2017 | Lyricist | ✓ |
| Usuraiya Tholaichaen | Standalone Single | 2017 | Lyricist | ✓ |
Awards and recognition
- 15th Edison Awards – Standout Performer Award
- Special Digital Recognition Award 2022 – Winner (Naam)
- Content Creator of the Year 2022 – Winner (Naam and Adi Penne)
- Content of the Year 2022 – Winner (Naam and Adi Penne)
- Pradhana Vizha 2021 – Nominated for Best Director (Avathaaram)
- Pradhana Vizha 2021 – Avathaaram nominated for Best Drama
- Pradhana Vizha 2021 – Nominated for Most Popular Male Personality
- Joe: The Black Assassin achieved a sold-out screening at a 1,000-seat theatre and completed successful theatrical runs in Singapore and Malaysia.
Media coverage
- https://www.asiaone.com/entertainment/audience-willing-read-subtitles-actor-t-suriavelan-1st-english-drama-come-closer-tamil-shows-wider-audience
- https://cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com/entertainment/must-date-playboy-cast-meet-greet-jul-18-585971
- https://www.channelnewsasia.com/listen/cna938-rewind/wattpad-vasantham-mediacorps-tamil-drama-must-date-playboy-6086256?page=96
- https://www.mediacorp.sg/media-releases/mediacorps-first-wattpad-adaptation-tamil-drama-must-date-playboy-attracts-over-100-million-global-views-189541
External links
- IMDb – https://www.imdb.com/name/nm9545893/
- Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/suriavelanofficial/
- Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/suria_velan/