When actor Venkatesh was approached by Dr Lalitha and Teenage Foundation to be a part of their video asking youngsters to “say no to peer pressure”, he saw no reason to refuse. “In fact, I thought it would be a good idea to spread awareness because it is quite common for youngsters to get into habits which aren’t good for them,” he shares.
The video features the actor urging youngsters not to do anything which they do not like and are not convinced is right. “It doesn’t matter if your friends leave you. What matters is you... your life. Stop allowing others to pull your strings. Learn to say no,” he says in the video which has visuals of youngsters smoking, boozing and taking drugs just because of their friends.
When quizzed if he felt for the cause because he’s a father of three youngsters himself, the actor explains, “Not really. Because I keep hearing stories of kids who have succumbed to pressure and have done things they do not want to just for acceptance. I was happy to be a part of it. If I could influence someone it would have been worth it because it is very easy to get carried away.”
