Rajiv Surendra explores what it means to fail in his new memoir

Actor Rajiv Surendra says the similarities between his life and Life of Pi were uncanny.  From practicing multiple religions to attending the University of Toronto, Surendra and Life of Pi's main character had parallel lives.  "It's almost as if someone has been spying on me for my entire life and then decided to write a work of fiction about my life," explains Surendra.

But when he didn't land the lead role in the book's on-screen adaptation, Surendra had to reevaluate his life. "It took a year for me to mourn the loss of what happened," he says. During that time Surendra graduated from university and took on a job as an au pair in Munich. "This journey really taught me about failure and loss," and he says he's glad now that he didn't get the role, as he was able to reflect on who he really is.

In his new memoir The Elephants in My Backyard, Surendra explores his failure. "I feel like a lot of people do regret things," says Surendra, "I want them to read this book and realize you shouldn't hold that weight of regret with you."