'Scene' actor Suriya warns students about Instagram reels

Actor Suriya shared valuable life lessons with students at the 47th anniversary celebration of the Sivakumar Educational Trust in Chennai. Drawing from nearly three decades of cinema experience, he spoke about failure, hard work, consistency, and gratitude.

He also advised youngsters to look beyond Instagram Reels and learn from the real journeys of successful people.During the event, Suriya and his father, actor Sivakumar, distributed Rs 13.78 lakh in financial assistance to students and educational institutions. Artist Jeevanandhan was also honoured with an award carrying a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh.Suriya says life always offers another chance to succeedExplaining how cinema shaped his outlook, Suriya urged students not to consider failure the end of their journey.

As reported by Filmibeat, Suriya compared life to filmmaking, explaining that actors often need several retakes to get a scene right. Instead of declaring them failures, directors encourage them to try again. “The director never says, ‘You have failed.’ Instead, he says, ‘One more.’ I look at life as a director.

Life never tells you that you have failed. You may think so, but life is not like that,” he said.Encouraging students to remain hopeful, he added, “Always ask for one more.

Nothing is the end. Never forget that there is always one more chance.” He said this approach could help youngsters overcome setbacks in exams, college admissions, and their careers.Suriya emphasises practice and consistency are importantSuriya also stressed the importance of patience and regular practice for success. “The performances we see on screen are often the result of endless rehearsals away from the spotlight,” he explained.

The actor remembered his early days and confessed that he didn't know how to act when he joined the film industry. Nearly 29 years of experience have taught him the value of repeated efforts.He encouraged students to keep improving their skills, whether in coding, drawing, running, or other fields. According to Suriya, consistent practice can help people achieve goals even when they lack natural talent at the beginning.Suriya urges youngsters to look beyond reels and help othersAddressing social media habits, Suriya asked students to explore podcasts, research and the real-life journeys of successful people instead of limiting themselves to short videos. “If you keep watching Reels, you are only watching a story. You may not learn anything from it,” he said, stressing the importance of choosing whom to follow. He also reminded youngsters to appreciate those who supported their progress.Explaining how films depend on writers, assistant directors, makeup artists, drivers and technicians, he urged students to recognise every contribution. “When you reach a position in life, try to lift at least one other person. Let your name be part of their success story,” he said.Suriya also highlighted the Agaram Foundation’s efforts to support first-generation learners and students from underserved communities, encouraging young people to use their achievements to create opportunities for others.

On the work front, Suriya is preparing for the third release of 2026 after the blockbusters 'Karuppu' and 'Vishwanath And Sons' with 'Scene,' and the film helmed by Jithu Mathavan is announced to hit theatres this Diwali on November 6.