Vijay Sethupathi recalls advice he gave to his 20-year-old son Surya on avoiding toxic peers: ‘If any of your friends…’

Vijay Sethupathi opened up about parenting, sharing how he is raising his 20-year-old son Surya to respect women and stay away from toxic influences.

Vijay Sethupathi recently spoke about the values he is instilling in his children, especially his son Surya, when it comes to respecting women and understanding gender roles. In a recent interaction, the actor reflected on parenting and emphasized that both boys and girls should be raised with strong values. Sharing a glimpse into his personal life, he mentioned that his son will turn 20 in July, while his daughter is set to turn 17 in August.

Vijay Sethupathi on teaching respect and values

Vijay said that while he teaches both his children important life lessons, he makes a conscious effort to guide his son on how to treat women with respect. He also believes that basic life skills, like cooking, should not be limited by gender. “I teach both of them, especially I teach my son how to respect and sometimes I tell him learn cooking. That's good for you. It doesn't mean that girls only always cook. So learn cooking,” he said.

The actor also recalled a serious conversation he had with his son during his teenage years. He said he advised him to stay away from peers who speak disrespectfully about women or objectify them. “When he was 16, I told my son very seriously… if any of your friends talk very cheap about women or describe their physique in a disrespectful way, stay away from them,” he shared.

Vijay’s warning on negative influence

Explaining his stance, Vijay added that such behaviour reflects deeper issues and can negatively influence others. He warned that people who disrespect women may not hesitate to speak the same way about their own family members.

He explained that people who speak disrespectfully about women may not hesitate to say the same about one’s mother or sister. He added that such individuals are hard to change, and being around them can influence one’s mindset, as such behaviour can easily spread.

His remarks have resonated widely, highlighting an important perspective that raising boys with empathy, respect and accountability is just as crucial as safeguarding girls.