Suriya and Jyotika met on their film sets, fell in love and eventually got married. However, what makes them an exceptional couple is that even after nearly 20 years of marriage, their playfulness and cheerfulness remain intact. Their playful equation has often come through during their joint interviews. One such instance was when they spoke to Film Companion Studios around the release of Jai Bhim.

The conversation began with a simple question about who has the final say on projects under 2D Entertainment. Jyotika said, “I decide my films and both of us decide his,” before laughing. Suriya added, “I admire her clarity of thought. I just go by that. I wait for that one word from her.”

Their playful equation

Speaking about Suriya’s romantic side, Jyotika said, “Suriya is very romantic. He is a great company. It’s not just me saying it, you ask anybody here in the state. I feel it largely works because of a man. The women are always good. A marriage largely works if the man is good. The very fact that he gives me that equal space. I get to choose my film. The banner is with both of us in it. It speaks volumes about him. There’s less said by me also speaks a lot.”

She then continued with her playful banter, joking, “We have been married for 15 years, and he is yet to learn Hindi.” Suriya laughed and replied, “Hindi is very tough for me. There are all kinds of students.”

Like any couple, they too have their share of fights and arguments, but for them, disagreements are also an opportunity to understand each other better. “I think we fight more and get closer more, I think,” Suriya said.

‘We have been more friends than a couple’

Jyotika added, “We have only gotten closer. And the first reason in any married couple is the kids. We have been more friends than a couple. We love having our morning coffees together. If one leaves earlier than the other for work and we miss our morning coffee time, we don’t forget to send an SMS saying, ‘Missing you’ at the coffee.”

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Their shared interests have also helped them remain close over the years.

“We have similar interests. We both like going for outdoor jogs. We are in the same production house, producing films. We both are actors. There is so much to talk about. Except the kitchen part,” Jyotika said.

Suriya then showered praise on his wife, saying, “It is an open book that she is more superlative and talented than me and yet she chose to stay home to take care of the kids. And I am able to go to work.”

Jyotika laughed and joked, “Oh my God, he is going to have so many female fans after this, which is more of a stress for me now.”

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Suriya added, “For someone to leave Mumbai’s Bandra, come to Chennai, learn the language there, master it and do such films and take all the spotlight, I don’t think I can do that.”

‘We just realised we can’t be without each other’

Their playfulness and respect for each other have not been limited to their joint appearances. They have also spoken fondly about their relationship in separate interviews.

Recalling how she decided to marry Suriya, Jyotika told Zoom, “I think you just have to meet the right man and feel extremely confident about the relationship, and that’s what happened. I met him and we both wanted to marry at the right time, have our babies and somehow work never came in the way. I think I am telling you, my journey has been a total no-thought-process journey. It’s quite a fairytale, actually.”

She added, “It’s largely about how he makes you feel. He made me feel very confident about the relationship. We just went for it. We never gave so much thought to the whole process and what’s going to happen after that.”

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Meanwhile, speaking to Curly Tales, Suriya spoke fondly of Jyotika and recalled how their relationship developed.

“She is a Bandra girl. Born and brought up here. She came to Chennai when she was not even 18. Her first film was with me. We have done close to seven films together. We were friends and well-wishers. We respected each other’s work. And love just happened, or life just happened, I would say. We didn’t really propose to each other. We just realised we can’t be without each other. It was more of that.”

Revealing their marriage mantra, Suriya said, “You have to be very good friends more than husband and wife being in love. Respect and space for each other.”

Suriya and Jyotika tied the knot in 2006 and are parents to a daughter and a son.