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The actors shared their school experiences, tackling exam stress, parental expectations and the importance of resilience at a special session of Pariksha Pe Charcha 2025
Vikrant Massey (left) and Bhumi Pednekar (right) at PPC 2025
Bollywood actors Bhumi Pednekar and Vikrant Massey gave tips to board exam students on how to handle exam pressure during a special episode of the 8th edition of the Pariksha Pe Charcha programme. Pednekar advised students to be stress-free and focus on their strengths. She also involved the children in this through fun activities.
Bhumi Pednekar told the children that they should focus on becoming a warrior, not a varrier (worrier). Bhumi Pednekar, while telling the story of her childhood, said that she was very smart in her studies. Along with this, she was also sure about her future. She knew that she wanted to become an actress.
Narrating an incident from her childhood, she said she used to study a lot in her childhood and used to sleep less. But now, as soon as she gets a break from shooting, she eats food quickly and then goes to sleep for at least half an hour. She described proper sleep as a means of sharpening memory.
Pednekar also explained the importance of breaks to increase focus. She said that in her childhood she used to take only one hour break in the whole day. Even during that time she used to go out to play. She also kept herself active by dancing during the break. She also talked about the bad phase of her life, that is, the death of her father. While teaching to overcome grief, she said that in such situations everyone should play on their strength.
“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.
Vikrant Massey discussed ‘Mission Creativity with Positivity’. He gave the children the mantra of power tool journaling and the power of visualisation. He advised students to give full respect to their efforts instead of ignoring them.
Massey also explained to parents not to put pressure on children unknowingly and recognize their skills. “Do not run after numbers. Keep your eyes down and thoughts up,” he said.
“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.
“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 added.
Describing himself as “an above average student”, Massey said he 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.
