Nazriya Nazim: ‘How will I reject a Suriya sir film?’ Actress clarifies why she missed three offers

Nazriya Nazim has set the record straight on Suriya’s claim that she rejected his films three times, saying the missed collaborations came down to clashing dates, not a lack of interest. The clarification comes as Scene, the crime thriller that finally brings the two together on screen, opens in theatres on Friday.

‘How will I say no to Suriya sir?’

Speaking at a pre-release event for Scene in Kochi, as quoted by Hindustan Times, Nazriya laughed off the idea that she had snubbed the Tamil star. She said Suriya’s remark was made in jest, and that scheduling problems and some confusion were what kept her from joining his earlier projects. “How will I reject a Suriya sir film?” she asked.

She added, "It's just a joke. Actually it was because of dates and some other confusion. I'm glad I'm the first heroine of a Jithu Madhavan film. I have done action in the film. It was like a holiday for us as all are Malayalees.”

Suriya had raised the subject days earlier at a promotional event in Hyderabad. He told the audience he had long hoped to share the screen with Nazriya, praising her confidence and screen presence, and said she agreed only when his team approached her for a fourth time.

A Tamil comeback after 12 years

Scene marks Nazriya’s return to Tamil cinema after a 12-year absence, and her first film opposite Suriya. She plays Maaya, who works alongside Suriya’s DSP Inbaraaj to solve a murder case.

Nazriya said she was proud to be the first female lead in a film by Jithu Madhavan, the Malayalam filmmaker behind Romancham and Aavesham, who wrote and directed Scene. She added that the role gave her a chance to do action sequences, and that with a largely Malayali crew, the shoot felt like a holiday.

Naslen steps in as the villain

The Malayali connection extends to the cast. Naslen, last seen in Mollywood Times, makes his Tamil debut as the film’s antagonist, Eeshwaran.

What the trailer reveals

The trailer opens with Inbaraaj reluctant to return to duty, even joking that he would rather quit and enter politics. His stance shifts when he is pulled into an urgent hunt for a so-called “psycho killer.” Maaya takes the lead in much of the action, while Naslen’s cold, ruthless Eeshwaran goes out of his way to taunt the officer, setting up a cat-and-mouse battle between the two.

Scene releases in theatres on November 6.