‘Don’t just be passionate, be obsessed!’: Suriya on life and success | WATCH

At the audio launch of his upcoming film Retro, actor Suriya delivered an inspiring speech about his journey to success, reflecting on the failures he encountered during his school years.

Speaking candidly, Suriya recalled being someone who had failed nearly all examinations in both 10th and 12th grade, with the exception of the board exams. He described himself as an average student in college but emphasised that he was eventually given an opportunity to achieve something meaningful in life.

"Believe in life," Suriya urged. "Life has many beautiful moments in store. Don’t let go of opportunities when they arise. Everyone will be given at least three chances in life—do not waste them."

He cited director Karthik Subbaraj as an example of someone who made the most of the opportunities presented to him. “It’s okay to take a small risk. It’s not enough to be passionate—you must be obsessed. If you are, success will surely follow. Life truly is that beautiful,” he added.

Suriya also spoke about Agaram Foundation, the NGO he founded to support economically disadvantaged students in completing their college education. He shared that the organisation has been active for nearly two decades and has helped produce around 7,000 to 8,000 graduates so far. “Both the alumni and current members of Agaram are actively shaping the future,” he noted.

Retro, directed by Karthik Subbaraj, has been acquired for distribution in Kerala by Vaika Merryland, led by Senthil Subramaniam, the grandson of legendary Malayalam producer P. Subramaniam. The film stars Suriya and Pooja Hegde in lead roles alongside a stellar ensemble cast including Joju George, Jayaram, Nassar, Prakash Raj, Karunakaran, Vidyashankar, and several Tamil and Malayalam cinema favourites.