Express, never suppress: Padukone shares tips to tackle exam stress

Bollywood actor Deepika Padukone shared tips on managing exam stress — conviction, clarity, prioritising sleep, expressing instead of suppressing, meditation, exercise and fun — while speaking to students as part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Pariksha Pe Charcha’ (PPC) initiative on Wednesday.

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For the first time, the eighth edition of PPC was held in a podcast-style format, featuring multiple episodes where prominent personalities offer advice on handling exam pressure. Padukone’s episode focused on emotional wellbeing and self-expression.

Sharing her personal experience, Padukone spoke about mental health struggles, saying anxiety and depression can affect anyone. Quoting from PM Modi’s book ‘Exam Warriors’, she stressed the importance of “expressing, never suppressing”.

She recalled her own battle with depression while living alone in Mumbai and credited her mother, who took her to a psychologist. “It really takes a lot of weight off your shoulders,” she told students.

Highlighting the importance of mental wellbeing during exams, she said, “Once you talk about your issues, you start feeling better and can focus on your exams. You are able to live a healthier, better life.”

Padukone emphasised that self-expression is key to emotional wellbeing, saying, “Expressing yourself equals a healthier, better life.”

A short video on Padukone’s “Live Love Laugh” foundation, which provides free mental health support, was also showcased to students.

Answering students’ queries on handling exam pressure, Padukone advised them to focus on things within their control. “Identify the problem and express it to someone you trust,” she said.

She recommended exercise and meditation as effective ways to manage stress and emphasised the importance of good sleep, calling it a “superpower”. She also encouraged students to get adequate sunlight, fresh air and to seek help whenever needed.

For success, she stressed the need for clarity and conviction, reminding students that life is not always a “smooth surface” and that failures are part of the journey. “The challenge is how you overcome those failures,” she said.

She also urged students to have fun, adding light-hearted moments to the session.

To excel in exams, Padukone advised students to focus on their strengths while working on their weaknesses.

She noted that comparison with others isn’t necessarily bad but should be used constructively. “Compete with yourself. The focus should be on doing things better and in a different way,” she said.

She also conducted a brief activity where students wrote down their strengths on paper. The students were thrilled to have Padukone as their teacher, even if only for a short time.