Suriya says students should watch podcasts instead of reels: ‘You may not learn anything’

At the 47th anniversary celebration of the Sivakumar Educational Trust, actor Suriya advised students to turn away from Instagram Reels and explore podcasts and extensive online research instead. Suriya argued that watching Reels only offers a superficial glimpse of a story and doesn't provide any real learning. Instead, he urged students to study the real-life journeys of successful personalities through long-form podcasts.

Drawing a comparison between filmmaking and life, Suriya told students that life never tells you that you have failed; instead, it says "One more." The actor also emphasized the importance of hope, telling students that there's always one more chance to succeed. Reflecting on his own journey, Suriya admitted that he wasn't a skilled actor at the beginning of his career, but consistent effort and continuous improvement eventually led him to stardom.

The actor also stressed the importance of gratitude, asking students to acknowledge the contributions of everyone who helped them succeed, even if those contributions were small. Suriya noted that in a film set, multiple professionals - from directors to technicians - aid in creating a performance, and he urged students to reciprocate that support by uplifting others once they achieve power and influence.

Suriya and his father, veteran actor Sivakumar, have followed this philosophy through their Sivakumar Educational Trust. The foundation distributed financial assistance worth Rs 13.78 lakh to students and educational institutes, helping numerous students become doctors and engineers.