Actor Suriya has reached out to students in Tamil Nadu via a video message and appealed to them to refrain from taking the extreme step. His appeal comes in the wake of the suicide of three medical aspirants last week.
In the video message, the actor began by reciting poet Subramaniya Bharathiyar's poem Acchamillai acchamillai accham enbadhu illaiye, and told them not to have any fear.
“If you have had any problem last week or even last month — think about it. It would have definitely lessened by now. An exam [NEET] is not bigger than your life. Please go and talk to someone you trust — like your parents, an older person, friends or teachers — about everything on your mind if you are feeling depressed. Your fear, anxiety and dejection will disappear in a while,” the actor said.
He said death by suicide was a lifelong punishment that they were giving to their parents and other people who liked and cared for them.
“I have failed in all exams, got bad marks and performed very badly academically. So as one among you, I will definitely say that marks and exams do not make up your life,” he said.
He said that there was a lot more to achieve in life for them, beyond exams and marks. “There are a lot of people. If you have belief, you can achieve a lot in life,” he said.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State’s health helpline 104 and Sneha’s suicide prevention helpline 044-24640050.)
