Actors Vikrant Massey and Bhumi Pednekar have engaged with school students during the annual Pariksha Pe Charcha (PPC) programme, encouraging them to study for life rather than just examinations. The interaction, aired on Sunday, featured discussions on exam stress, parental expectations, and resilience in the face of challenges.
This year’s edition of PPC, an event where Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with students ahead of board exams, took place in Delhi’s historic Sunder Nursery instead of the usual town hall setting.
Massey, whose career saw a resurgence with the 2023 film “12th Fail”, spoke to students about the “power of visualisation”. He advised them to spend 10 minutes daily writing about their goals and emotions as a form of manifestation.
Watch here: https://twitter.com/mygovindia/status/1890634660604195321
“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.
Massey also urged students to remain humble about their achievements. “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 said.
Pednekar, recalling the loss of her father at a young age, said she learned early 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,” she said.
Massey described himself as an “above average student” who was more interested in 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 said.
Pednekar noted that she was never a frontbencher but actively took part 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 wanted to be an actor. I wanted my parents to be happy and proud, so I used to work very hard in studies.”
Massey spoke about the pressures students face from parental expectations and advised them to communicate openly. “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 said.
Pednekar highlighted the importance of a good sleep routine, sharing her own habits during exams. “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 said.
Massey shared three key strategies for managing exams: “Eat well, rest well; keep improving; and go, play, unplug.”
Pednekar, when asked for her go-to tips to handle stress, advised students to “be a warrior, not a worrier” and said that spirituality helps maintain focus and grounding.
Earlier editions of Pariksha Pe Charcha have featured personalities such as boxer MC Mary Kom, spiritual leader Sadhguru, and actor Deepika Padukone, who have shared their experiences on education and life challenges.
The first edition of the event was held in February 2018 at Talkatora Stadium, while last year’s edition took place in a town hall format at Bharat Mandapam in Pragati Maidan.
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