"Be Kind To Yourself": Vikrant Massey, Bhumi Pednekar On Pariksha Pe Charcha

Study to pass in life, not just exams, and identify your strengths during challenging times, actors Vikrant Massey and Bhumi Pednekar told school students during an interaction on PM's Parisha Pe Charcha aired on Sunday. The actors shared their school experiences, tackling exam stress, parental expectations and the importance of resilience at a special session of Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC), an annual event in which Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with students appearing for board examinations.

In a shift from the traditional town hall format, this time the prime minister preferred a more informal setting and took the students to Delhi's iconic Sunder Nursery for his annual interaction with them ahead of board exams.

Massey, who saw a career turnaround with the 2023 film "12th Fail", asked students to practice the "power of visualisation".

"We all know how to subconsciously visualise. You can take out 10 minutes a day to write about your feelings and what you wish to achieve in a journal... It's a kind of manifestation," he said.

"Never feel arrogant about getting good marks. Keep your eyes low and your thinking high. That's very important. Study to pass in life, not just exams. Be kind to yourself and if you do not meet your expectations, restart," he added.

Recalling the time she lost her father, Pednekar said she was very young when she realised she had to focus on her strengths.

"At that age you don't realise that such a big unfortunate event has happened to you. I just knew I had to play by my strengths. Identify your strengths during challenging times... Explore new ways to learn... Like whenever I am given a scene, I try doing it in different ways," the "Dum Laga Ke Haisha" actor said during the eighth edition of PPC.

During his school days, Massey said he was "an above average student" who was more into sports.

"I used to pick up books days before exams. We had cable TV at the time so that used to be disconnected during exams... I'm a bit sad to see today's generation. Our playtime was all about the playground. For today's generation, it's mobile. Cricket, which is our country's most favourite sport, requires one to be present in the moment. Even the prime minister says 'The present is God's favourite present'," he added.

Pednekar too said she was never a frontbencher and used to enjoy participating in extracurricular activities.

"I was a very obedient student and I still am. I was mischievous but I shared a beautiful relationship with my teachers... I realised early on that I want to be an actor. I wanted my parents to be happy and proud so I used to work very hard in studies." Children are unable to grow when the expectations of parents start to feel like a burden, added Massey.

"Express yourself. If your parents want you to become an engineer but you want to become a photographer, you should tell them what you feel. They will get convinced over a period of time because all they want for you is to be happy," he told students.

Pednekar emphasised the importance of having a good sleep routine.

"I used to take an hour-long break in a day during exams. I would go out and play, I loved dancing, playing badminton. All that was important for me was to give my brain a break...

"When I was young, I just didn't want to sleep. Now when I'm shooting, I quickly finish my lunch in 15 minutes and sleep for half an hour. That half an hour of sleep will give me a very focused eight hours at work," she added.

Massey shared his three hacks on how to be an 'Exam Warrior'.

"Eat well, rest well; keep improving; and go, play, unplug," he said.

Asked to give her go-to tips to handle stress, Pednekar said: "Be a warrior, not a worrier. Being spiritual keeps you grounded and focused." Previously, eminent personalities like boxer MC Mary Kom, spiritual leader Sadhguru, and Bollywood star Deepika Padukone also shared their experiences and knowledge with students on key aspects of life and learning in different episodes of Pariksha Pe Charcha this year.

The first edition of the prime minister's interactive programme with school and college students was held at the Talkatora Stadium in February 2018. Its seventh edition was held in a town hall format at the Bharat Mandapam in Pragati Maidan, engaging participants from across the country and overseas.

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