Ananya Panday on tackling exam pressure: They are a small part of a much bigger journey

Mumbai: Actor Ananya Panday at the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre's 3rd Year Anniversary Celebration in Mumbai on Friday, April 3, 2026. (Photo: IANS)

Mumbai, (IANS) Actress Ananya Panday's So Positive, a children and family first initiative designed to acknowledge exam stress, has joined forces with Nick India to come up with new and exciting ways to tackle exam pressure.

Rooted in Nick India’s ongoing Pressure Ko Bolo Bye campaign, the initiative encourages parents to actively ease exam pressure by recognizing each child’s unique strengths and learning style and by building confidence over comparison.

The collaboration came to life with a special on-ground activity led by Ananya, along with Nick’s beloved Chikoo and Bunty.

They selected everyday exam worries written on balloons and popped them to reveal easy stress-busting actions.

Shedding further light on the initiative, Ananya revealed that as a kid, she learned that the best way to overcome exam pressure is to take a step back and keep in mind that exams are merely a small part of the bigger journey.

The 'CTRL' actress said, “Exam pressure is something almost every student experiences, but it’s important to remember that it doesn’t have to define you. Growing up, I realised that the best way to deal with it is to take a step back, breathe and remind yourself that exams are just one small part of a much bigger journey."

"What I love about the Nick’s Pressure Ko Bolo Bye initiative is that it encourages kids and parents to talk openly about stress and handle it in a healthier, more positive way. Sometimes even small actions, like pausing, sharing how you feel or just letting go of expectations, can make a big difference," she went on to add.Sharing a glimpse of the intiative with the netizens, Ananya wrote on her official Instagram handle, “It’s that time of the year again - books, exams and all the pressure that comes with it But this year, with Nick India and So Positive, we’re saying #PressureKoBoloBye and will show you exactly how to do this - one pop at a time! (sic)” Ananya Panday on tackling exam pressure: They are a small part of a much bigger journey | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

Read More........ → April 10, 2026

Lisa Kudrow ‘preserved’ another role as she wasn't convinced ‘Friends’ would be a hit

(Photo : IANS/Lisa Kudrow/insta)

Los Angeles, (IANS) Hollywood star Lisa Kudrow, popular for playing the iconic character Phoebe Buffay, was wary of leaving “Mad About You” for the then-unknown sitcom “Friends”, so was keen to "preserve" her role if possible.

She played Phoebe Buffay for 10 years on the beloved comedy series, but when she was first cast in the role, she had a recurring role as a sarcastic and indifferent waitress in an already-established comedy series.

She told Vanity Fair magazine: “I was really proud to be able to have a role on Mad About You.

“Honestly, when I shot the pilot of Friends, I thought, 'Yeah, I mean, this is a good show. But good shows don't get picked up all the time.'

"Thank God for Mad About You, which was my favourite show on TV. I mean, I thought that was such a great show. It was a quality multi-camera show…”

“If there's any hope of me being able to stay on Mad About You, after the (Friends) pilot doesn't get picked up or they pick it up for, you know, 12 more episodes, and then that's it... like after this fails, because there's no telling what's gonna happen, something can be great, and still, it gets cancelled, I'd still have Mad About You.

"I was preserving Mad About You for myself.”

After Lisa was cast in Friends, which debuted in 1994 and also starred Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, David Schwimmer, Matt LeBlanc and the late Matthew Perry, the channel had a dilemma as to how to explain away the fact the same actress would be appearing in two primetime shows as different characters, reports femalefirst.co.uk.

So the actress was delighted when her Mad About You character, Ursula Buffay, was introduced as Phoebe's twin sister, adding depth to her back story.

She said: “Friends found that they had to justify why this same face and voice is gonna be on at 8:00 p.m. on Mad About You once in a while, and then there she is at 8:30 p.m. on Friends.

They had to cope with that. And incorporate Ursula into Friends. I was thrilled, you know, that I could still be Ursula."

The actress recently said that she has been catching up on old episodes of Friends but it "too embarrassed" to watch it in front of her husband Michael Stern.

Asked what sitcoms she watches, she said on BBC Radio 2: "Friends at night before going to bed. I haven't seen many episodes. I sit in the family room, and I wait until my husband goes to sleep because I'm too embarrassed for anyone to see me watching it - but I'll tell all of you!“He knows that I like watching it.” Lisa Kudrow ‘preserved’ another role as she wasn't convinced ‘Friends’ would be a hit | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

Read More........ → April 01, 2026