Suriya chased Nazriya Nazim across three separate productions before landing her signature for director Jithu Madhavan's upcoming action drama Scene. He made no effort to disguise the chase. Addressing a promotional gathering in Hyderabad, the actor laid out the blunt reality of their casting journey, acknowledging that Nazriya turned down three distinct scripts over the years before finally agreeing to share screen space.
Persistence paid off on try number four. "I have always wanted to work with Nazriya," Suriya said. "We had asked her to act in three of my films earlier, but she rejected them. It was only on the fourth attempt that she agreed." Rather than bristle at the prior refusals, Suriya singled out her selective instincts for praise, noting that walking away from lucrative mainstream offers takes rare professional resolve in a business ruled by frantic visibility.
For Nazriya, the project snaps a 12-year absence from Tamil cinema screens. Following her marriage to Fahadh Faasil, the actor focused her energies almost entirely on Malayalam cinema, keeping away from Tamil sets after director Anis's 2014 romantic drama Thirumanam Enum Nikkah. The long gap made her return an industry talking point, but Nazriya clarified that sharing a frame with Suriya settled the debate instantly.
"The reason I agreed to return to Tamil cinema after 12 years was that this was a Suriya sir film," Nazriya said. "Honestly, it is a dream come true. I had missed out on opportunities once or twice earlier for various reasons. I am very happy that this is finally the first film bringing the two of us together."
The project carries serious muscle behind the scenes. Produced jointly by Suriya and Jyothika's 2D Entertainment alongside Zhagaram Studios, Scene pits Suriya against young breakout star Naslen in an antagonist role, giving Madhavan an aggressive ensemble to steer. The production team is now wrapping post-production work to lock the timeline.
Cinemas will get their answer this autumn. Scene hits theatres worldwide on November 6, targeting the lucrative Diwali holiday box office.