Oh man, remember that little dude from Life of Pi? The one stranded on that lifeboat with the tiger? Well, let me tell you, that kid is all grown up now and still as talented (if not more!) as he was then. Suraj Sharma, the former child star, is now in his 30s. Let’s catch up with this rising star and see what other amazing projects he’s been up to since making a splash with Life of Pi all those years ago.
Suraj was born on March 21st, 1993 in New Delhi, India. He was raised by his mother, Shailaja Sharma, who was an economist and his father, Gokul Churai, who was a software engineer. He is the oldest of his siblings (which means he’s the most responsible), a brother and sister. So, how did Suraj go from India to Hollywood?
Despite starring in an Oscar-nominated movie, Suraj is still criminally underrated as an actor. According to IMDb, Suraj has only had 18 roles total, including a film currently in post-production. For someone with that kind of raw talent, his untapped potential is just waiting to explode in the film scene. Let’s go back to where it all started with Life of Pi.
Life of Pi was one of the biggest movies of the year when it came out in 2012. Not only did Ang Lee create a visual spectacle but he also created a story that pulls at the heartstrings. Suraj’s portrayal of Pi inspired an entire generation to never give up even in the darkest of times.
Remarkably, Suraj’s journey to this iconic role was serendipitous – he attended the audition because his little brother twisted his arm. After 3,000 different auditions, Ang Lee took a liking to Sharma’s expressive eyes and innocent demeanor, leading to Suraj’s first-ever role.
After Life of Pi, Suraj returned to college to study philosophy and, eventually, film at the NYU Tisch School of the Arts. He returned to acting in 2014 as the nephew of a terrorist in Homeland and in Million Dollar Arm.
Suraj has starred in many Indian films over the next couple of years in leading and supporting roles. His next huge role in Hollywood wouldn’t be until 2018 as he starred in the CBS TV show God Friended Me as Rakesh.
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Suraj next major cinematic role was in the 2019 horror-comedy Happy Death Day 2U and it wouldn’t be until 2021 that he would secure another leading role in a feature film with The Illegal. This poignant drama proved to be a fitting vehicle for Suraj, as he portrayed an Indian immigrant who relocates to LA to pursue his dreams of studying filmmaking. The role allowed the talented actor to showcase the depth of his abilities, deftly capturing the emotional complexities of the immigration experience.
Interested in watching The Illegal? Watch it for free on Reveel
Suraj Sharma’s most notable recent endeavor was his role as Sid in the Hulu series “How I Met Your Father,” a spin-off of the beloved sitcom “How I Met Your Mother.” Sharma’s portrayal of the endearing and quirky Sid spanned the show’s entire two-season run. Despite the anticipation surrounding the revival of the popular franchise, the series was canceled by the streaming platform.
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