Latest news with #Archana
India.com
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
'Director's focus was always…': Meet actress who wore saree without a blouse during entire film, actress is... movie is...
When the Indian cinema was going through a revolutionary period, different directors had a different approach towards their casting. While movies helmed in Bollywood would focus more on male-centric films, whereas in South cinema, the two factors which worked for them like magic were massy action and flashy roles done by actresses. There was a time when directors in the industry hired actresses only for flashy roles, dance numbers, or comedy songs. However, even during those times, there were some actresses who proved that they could do strong characters and turn tables. One such movie was Nireekshana, released in 1982, where actress Archana made sure that even an actress during those times could bag a lead role. She captivated the audience with her beauty and bold performance. Archana has been in the industry for more than 4 decades and during these times she has given several superhit films. Now, Archana's latest movie Shashtipoorthi has hit the big screens today. Before the release of the film, in one of her interviews, Archana opened up about some interesting facts about her film Nireekshana. The actress said, 'I played the role of a tribal girl in that film. For that role, I acted wearing a sari without a blouse. Many people were surprised to know this at that time.' She further added, 'I knew that director Balumahendran's focus is always on acting. I had faith in him, so I did that role. There is never obscenity in his films. It is a matter of pride for me to work with such a director.' Nireekshana turned out to be a huge hit. The movie not only earned praises for itself, but critics also appreciated Archana for her performance.
Time of India
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Archana Puran Singh talks about how being called 'fat' in childhood impacted her deeply; 'Even when I had 26 inches waist, I kept feeling that I am fat'
Archana Puran Singh and Parmeet Sethi invited Anshula Kapoor to their newest vlog. They commended her on her fitness efforts and then took her to a Mumbai restaurant for buttery Karnataka-style dosas. Archana and Parmeet have been exploring Mumbai's top culinary spots, but in their most recent video, they went to play pickleball with Anshula and then grabbed a bite to eat. They were accompanied, as usual, by their sons, Aayushmaan and Aaryamann. The video began on the pickleball court, when Parmeet and Anshula played a match against Aayushmaan and Aaryamann. Archana sat by the court, with a portable fan for companionship. She told the crowd that Anshula's fitness journey has significantly inspired her, and that she follows her Instagram stories. As they ate their dosas after the match, Archana enquired whether she had ever been pressured to enter the film industry. Anshula stated that she did not, and neither did other members of her family. "All your siblings are actors; Khushi, Janhvi…" Parmeet said, "Arjun!" As everyone chuckled at Parmeet's remark, Archana assured him that she was on her way. Archana was curious to learn more about Anshula's fitness journey, and she opened up about the insecurities she had and still faces, despite her accomplishments. "I've always been a big girl with a large body type. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like ¡Trading con IA en Chile ayuda a usuarios a obtener ganancias potenciales! Mainhubfb Más información Undo But it wasn't until later that I realised I had hormonal difficulties and PCOS. I have a better knowledge of what my internal body looks like. But I couldn't locate anyone in India I could relate to on Instagram, especially individuals who looked like me. "I had to order my clothes especially," she explained, and Archana agreed. The performer claimed that as a child, she was called 'moti (fat)', which had an affect on her mentally. She further said, 'It impacted me so much that even when I had 26 inches waist, I kept feeling that I was fat.' Anshula further quipped, "I can't take compliments. Physical compliments are a whole different story; they bounce off me. But even if you compliment me on anything else, like something I said or the way I think, an inner voice will say, 'They're lying'. Now it's better, but it's always difficult to change your default setting. But then you have to tell yourself, 'Believe it because you're working on yourself." They did, however, have some amusing moments. Anshula had her first taste of Parmeet's PJs, and when he added that certain meals are 'benne-ficial' - a reference to the type of dosas they were eating, as well as the name of the restaurant - the entire table grimaced. "I don't think I can be on your team anymore, sir," Anshula explained. She also termed him 'overacting ki dukaan' as Parmeet stared into the camera and stated that he would order last. "None of us have ordered yet," she yelled.
The Hindu
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Hindu
Meet Archana Sankaranarayanan, India's deepest female freediver
In the latest Mission: Impossible film, Tom Cruise's character Ethan Hunt dives nearly 500 feet into the ocean to retrieve something key to his mission — surviving a torn diving suit, freezing temperatures, and a dangerously long breath-hold. While it makes for thrilling cinema, reality is starkly different. For most people, descending even 60 feet underwater without breathing equipment is a risky proposition. But for Archana Sankaranarayanan, it is a competitive pursuit and one in which she now holds multiple national records. Based in Chennai, Archana is the deepest female freediver in India, holding national records across all four depth disciplines of the sport: Constant Weight, Constant Weight Bi-Fins, Constant Weight No Fins, and Free Immersion. She began her record-breaking streak at the AIDA Mabini Depth Quest, held from May 1 to 6 this year in Mabini, the Philippines, where she set four national records, including surpassing one of her own. Just two weeks later, at the Hug Cup in Panglao, also in the Philippines, she broke two more records, both of which were also her own. Freediving is the sport of diving into the depths of the ocean, with minimal or no gear and no oxygen support, and Archana has dived as deep as 35m (115 feet approx). Just a few years ago, Archana was living a very different life — as a corporate lawyer. 'It was my dream job. I saw all the glamour and felt like I was in the TV show Suits,' she says. But a scuba diving course in the Andamans changed everything. Soon after, she quit her job, moved to the islands, and began working as a scuba diving professional. 'There's pressure in law, but underwater, there's even more pressure. Literal water pressure. But I loved every bit of it,' she says. It was during her time teaching scuba that she stumbled upon a video of freediver Shubham Pandey. 'I couldn't understand how he was staying underwater so long. I was just… fascinated.' Within months, she had messaged him, signed up for a course in Bali, and booked a one-way ticket. 'I had no goal of being the deepest woman freediver or anything,' she says. 'I just wanted to break one record in the Free Immersion category because I was very comfortable with that.' With this, she has become a rare athlete, and one of the few Indian women, to make a mark in a sport that is still finding its footing in the country. According to the 32-year-old, freediving is more a mental sport than a physical one. 'Scuba diving was amazing, but in freediving it's more like looking within yourself. You're holding your breath and going as deep as possible. Freediving made me look within. It forced me to work on my mental and physical self,' she says. Archana's progress came with discipline, discomfort, and a steep learning curve. After her initial course in Bali, she continued training in Murudeshwar, Karnataka, where she dived at Netrani Island. Then she trained with freediving school Apnea in Bali, with an all-women's team and later with renowned freediving coach Sergei Busargin in Thailand, who helped her master one of the sport's most challenging categories: Constant Weight No Fins (CNF). 'I'm not a born athlete,' she says. 'I struggled with food, protein intake, and losing bone density. But I trained every day in the ocean, pool, and dry sessions, and slowly started believing I could do it. I am privileged to be able to get access to this kind of coaching. I'm sure there are better freedivers. I've seen fisher women in Tamil Nadu who go deeper in a sari to pluck seaweed,' she says. Even as she racks up national records, Archana is already thinking about who might break them next. 'I don't want to be the only one doing this,' she says. 'I hope someone else comes and beats all my records so I can come back and beat them again.' What excites her most is the slow but steady rise of Indian women entering the sport. For Archana, the deeper goal is not just about depth, but access and encouraging more women to cross boundaries, both in water and beyond it.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Archana Puran Singh switches from Wagon R to Jaguar as she takes fans inside Netflix studio for Kapil Sharma shoot
Taking a break from her usual food vlogs, Archana Puran Singh shared a day in her life with her fans. Archana said that she is still not fully recovered from the hand fracture that she suffered some months ago, and has been diagnosed with a rare condition that needs urgent attention. She visited her doctor and her physiotherapist, after which she went to the Netflix office to shoot a promo video for the new season of the Great Indian Kapil Show. Because of the heavy rains that Mumbai has been lashed by recently, Archana discovered that the ferry that she normally takes from Madh Island to Mumbai city wasn't operating. She had to hop aboard the bigger ferry, which she normally avoids. Archana was accompanied by her husband, Parmeet Sethi, and her assistant Bhagyashree. They began the journey in a humble Wagon R, but switched to a Jaguar sedan after landing ashore. Archana said that she has changed four vehicles just to travel to one location. Also read – Archana Puran Singh's family is 'not what it appears to be', son says 'things are not okay': 'What nonsense' After the doctor visit, she went to the Netflix office to shoot the promo. There, she met Kiku Sharda, who was very excited about the show's return. They said that Kapil Sharma wasn't able to make it, and that his portion was being shot separately in a different city. After completing the shoot, Archana treated herself with some shopping. She shopped so much that Bhagyashree became visibly tired. 'I got tired just looking you try all those clothes,' she said. Archana returned home to find Parmeet meditating. He didn't seem to pleased about being interrupted. 'Maine teri tapasya bhang kar di,' she joked. The Great Indian Kapil Show will return on June 21. Archana recently worked on the Netflix film Nadaaniyan, and had vlogged about its premiere as well. In an interview with SCREEN, Parmeet had spoken about the family's vlogging journey. 'I had no idea about vlogs. It was Archana and my younger son who asked me why don't I do YouTube and Instagram. They said, 'During the lockdown, your videos went viral, people loved to see your fun banter with out maid Bhagyashree.' Archana decided we should continue with our vlogs. I was never part of those conversations. I am not a very active person on my social media. It happened so that within in 2 days, three big companies approached us to do our YouTube production,' he said.
Pink Villa
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Latest 3 Telugu movies releasing in theaters this week (May 26 - June 1): Bhairavam, Shashtipoorthi and X Roads
Tollywood is ready to roll out another exciting batch of films in theaters this week. Packed with stories that range from intense to heartwarming, these movies are creating quite a buzz. Some are backed by big names, while others come with the charm of fresh talent. Either way, there's plenty to watch and enjoy. Telugu movies releasing in theaters this week 1. X Roads Cast: Snehal Kamat, Anirudh Mantripragada, Ajit Shukla, Santosh Anantharaman, Rishi Reddy Release date: May 30, 2025 X Roads is a tense crime thriller set in the world of aspiring filmmakers. The story follows Bharti, a determined film academy student, who teams up with a group of passionate youngsters to make an independent movie. Their creative journey takes a dark turn when their film becomes linked to a disturbing crime. As the investigation deepens, the group and their families get entangled in a dangerous game of lies and betrayal. With unexpected twists and a chilling atmosphere, X Roads explores the risks of ambition and the hidden dangers behind artistic dreams. 2. Bhairavam Bhairavam is the official Telugu remake of the Tamil action drama Garudan, which starred Soori. The story follows a man who becomes the most loyal aide to two childhood friends. All three share a painful past that binds them deeply. As they grow older, their bond is challenged by shifting dynamics and hidden rivalries. Trust begins to erode as jealousy and betrayal surface. The protagonist finds himself caught between his loyalty and the harsh truth. As tensions rise, the story unfolds into a gripping tale of friendship, conflict, and the price one pays for standing alone. 3. Shashtipoorthi Cast: Archana, Rupeysh, Aakanksha Singh Release date: May 30, 2025 The film revolves around a troubled family dynamic, focusing on an estranged couple. Rajendra Prasad portrays a husband who is often misunderstood, while Archana, playing his wife, uncovers a surprising truth about him. Their son, portrayed by Rupeysh Choudhary—who also produces the film—works as a divorce lawyer. Despite his negative public image, he sets out on a mission to reunite his separated parents. Along the way, his own love story unfolds, with Akanksha Singh playing his romantic interest.
