Sai Durgha Tej was among the key speakers at the Abhayam Masoom Summit 2025 held in Hyderabad on Saturday. Organised by Young Indians (Yi), a wing of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), the event focussed on raising awareness about child safety, particularly in the digital age.
Speaking on the theme ‘Every Child Matters in a Digital World: The Collective Responsibility to Keep Children Safe Online and Offline,’ the actor addressed the growing issue of online abuse and talked about how he raised his voice on a popular Youtuber who was later canceled for his dark humour.
“We need to protect our children ourselves,” Tej said, “Today, children are being abused on social media. People are not only making inappropriate comments but are also liking and laughing at them. It pains me deeply. Is this the kind of society we want to build? How can anyone make such disgusting remarks about children?”
He continued, “I waited to see if anyone would talk about this or if the media would react, but no one did. So I took it upon myself to respond. People are hiding behind the label of dark comedy to make senseless, inappropriate remarks. Yes, we have freedom of speech, but it should not come at the cost of hurting others.”
Drawing from his own experiences, Durgha Tej stressed the importance of communication at home. “When I was in second grade, I shared my first love story with my mother. She gave me the freedom to talk to her about anything. That’s the kind of open relationship parents should build with their kids. Children should be given the freedom to share everything with their parents.”
He further said that he took up accountability in his films too. “After Winner movie, I stopped doing ‘teasing songs’ and also stopped smoking on screen. I can’t speak for every other hero, but this is my way of inspiring others to do good.”
On a lighter note, Tej clarified rumours about his personal life: “And regarding my marriage, please don’t spread rumours. When the time comes, I will announce it myself.”
Currently, Sai Durgha Tej is busy with SYG - Samabrala Yeti Gattu, a dystopian action-drama directed by Rohith KP with a whopping budget of 120 crores.