Archana Puran Singh (born 26 September 1962) is an Indian actress and television personality. She is known for her comedy roles in several Hindi films and as a judge in the comedy shows The Kapil Sharma Show and Comedy Circus. She is widely remembered for her supporting roles in several films, best known for playing Miss Braganza in the romance Kuch Kuch Hota Hai (1998). Archana Puran Singh has been featured in more than 100 films and television series.

Early life

Archana Puran Singh is a Rajput. She was born in Dehradun to Chaudhary Puran Singh, an affluent lawyer who had represented Sanjay Gandhi in 1975-1977 Emergency in India related cases, but did not want his children to become lawyers as he believed this profession sometimes required compromise with own conscience while representing the clients.अर्चना पूरन सिंह के पिता ने कोर्ट में लड़ा था संजय गांधी का केस, नोटों से भरी बोरी लिए घूस देने पहुंच गए थे लोग, MSN, 28 Aug 2025. She is the third among the four siblings.

After she completed her 1st to 11th at Convent of Jesus and Mary, Dehradun, she went on to Lady Shri Ram College in Delhi to study literature where she stayed in the college hostel. After she finished college, her father coincidentally connected to his old friends in Mumbai for reasons unrelated to movies, but series of events saw Archana moving to Mumbai in a paying guest house where she stayed for four years with Mitali Mukherjee - wife of singer Bhupinder Singh.Doon is my favorite city in the world, Times of India, 19 Oct 2024.

Career

In films

She made her film debut with Nikaah in 1982 at the age of 20. In 1987, she starred in Jalwa opposite Naseeruddin Shah. Later, she did roles in films like Agneepath (1990), Saudagar (1991), Shola aur Shabnam (1992), Aashiq Awara (1993), and Raja Hindustani (1996); she did a special dance appearance in films like the Govinda-starrer thriller Baaz and the Suniel Shetty starrer Judge Mujrim.

Thereafter, the industry has largely relegated her to supporting roles in Hindi films, often in comedies. Some of her films are Love Story 2050, Mohabbatein, Krrish,Alive and kicking The Tribune, 6 May 2006. Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, Masti, De Dana Dan and Bol Bachchan. She reprised her role as Mrs. Braganza from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai in the Netflix film Nadaaniyan. She further starred in another Netflix film, Toaster.

In television

Archana's first TV show was the weekly sitcom Mr Ya Mrs, aired on Sundays in the year 1985 on the government-owned channel Doordarshan. She played a working woman in it, with Jayant Kriplani playing a house-husband who doesn't work a job but stays at home to take care of it.

She became a television anchor, with Wah, Kya Scene Hai on Zee TV in 1993, which was followed by Uncensored. She later acted in Shrimaan Shrimati, Junoon and hosted Archana Talkies on Sony Entertainment Television. She also acted in the TV show Zee Horror Show.

She also directed sitcoms like Jaane Bhi Do Paaro and Nehle Pe Dehla and produced Samne Wali Khidki.

In 2005, she was a contestant in the dance reality show Nach Baliye 1, in which she participated with her husband, Parmeet Sethi; they were eliminated in the sixth episode. In 2006, she and her husband hosted another dance reality show Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa.

Thereafter, she appeared as a judge on various comedy shows, including Sony Entertainment Television's Comedy Circus. In 2015, she appeared in SAB TV's The Great Indian Family Drama as Begum Paro.

In 2019, she entered as the judge/permanent guest in The Kapil Sharma Show replacing Navjot Singh Sidhu, and reprised her role in The Great Indian Kapil Show on Netflix in 2024. In 2019, she acted as Lakhan's mother, Paramjeet, in SAB TV serial, My Name Ijj Lakhan opposite her real life husband, Parmeet Sethi. She returned to acting with the web-series Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya.

Dubbing career In 2010, she entered the dubbing industry with an Indian animated film, Pangaa Gang, and voiced the antagonist of the film. 9 years later, she returned to the industry to voice Zeta, the leader of Eagle Island in the Hindi version of The Angry Birds Movie 2.

Filmography Films +Key Denotes films that have not yet been released Year Title Role(s) Language(s) 1982 Nikaah Salesgirl Hindi1987 JalwaJyothi1988 Aaj Ke Angaarey Priya The Perfect Murder Miss Twinkle Woh Phir Aayegi1989 Ladaai Sashi Verma1990 Aag Ka Gola Nisha Agneepath Shanti/Laila 1991 Jeena Teri Gali Mein Saudagar 1992 Main Hoon SherniGanga Verma Zulm Ki Hukumat Chitra Shola Aur Shabnam Mrs. Deva Naalaya Seidhi Tamil Pandiyan Bandhu Bandhu's wife Hindi Baaz Monica 1993 Aasoo Bane AngaareyChanda Kondapalli Raja Telugu Aashiq Awara Sheela Hindi 1994 Mahakaal Anita Yuhi Kabhi Pyaar Ka Rog 1995 Takkar Maya 1996 Aisi Bhi Kya Jaldi Hai Raja Hindustani Shalini "Shalu" Mitra 1997 Share Bazaar Judge Mujrim 1998 Kuch Kuch Hota Hai Miss Breganza 1999 Bade Dilwala Manthara Anyay Hi Anyay 2000 Mela Vidyavati Mohabbatein Preeto 2001 Censor Margaret Moksha: Salvation Mrs D'Souza 2002 Maine Dil Tujhko Diya Dancer 2003 Jhankaar Beats Ms. Voluptuous Khanjar: The Knife Janasheen Martha Enakku 20 Unakku 18 / Nee Manasu Naaku Telusu Tamil / Telugu 2004 Masti Mrs. Tyagi Hindi Mirchi - It's Hot Rok Sako To Rok Lo Sweety Aabra Ka Daabra Suzanne 2005 Insan Rajjo 2006 The Gold Bracelet Baljit Singh Krrish Nayantara Mera Dil Leke Dekho 2007 NaqaabTV Reporter 2008 Mere Baap Pehle Aap Inspector Bhawani Bhagmar Love Story 2050 Sangeeta Bedi Money Hai Toh Honey Hai Dolly Rafoo Chakkar: Fun on the RunKokila Good Luck! Oye Lucky! Lucky Oye! Kamlesh Handa 2009 Kal Kisne Dekha Bebe Tera Mera Ki Rishta Punjabi Bad Luck GovindaMamtaHindi De Dana Dan Kuljeet Kaur 2011 Luv Ka The End Lux Lovani Haat - The Weekly Bazaar 2012 Bol Bachchan Zohra/Madhumati 2014 Kick Rati Lal Singh 2015 Dolly Ki Doli Manjot's mother Uvaa Jayshri Bhatiya 2019Housefull 4 Varsha P. Sinha (photo only) 2020 Virgin Bhanupriya Madhu Awasthi 2023 Walk 2024 Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video Vidya's mother2025NadaaniyanMrs. Braganza-Malhotra2026ToasterMalini Pherwani

Television Year Title Role Notes 1987–1988 Mr Ya Mrs Seema 1987 Karamchand Various characters 1988 Doordarshan New Year Program Host Television special 1993–1997 Wah, Kya Scene Hai Host 1993 Zee Horror Show Julie Episodic Role 1994–1999 Shrimaan Shrimati Prema Shalini 1994 Junoon Rekha 1998–1999Jaane Bhi Do PaaroPaaroAlso directorUncensoredHost/presenter1999Nehle Pe DehlaVarious characters Also director2000Archana Talkies Host/presenter2001Aasman Se TapkiAlso producer2002–2003Archana Aaa-HaaHost/presenter2003Samnewali KhidkiSanjanaAlso producer 2005 Nach Baliye 1 Contestant 2006 Kandy Floss Host Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 1 2007–2018 Comedy Circus Judge 2008Sun Yaar Chill MaarMiss BriganzaGuest 2014 Bhoot Aaya Narrator Episode 20 2015 The Great Indian Family Drama Begum Paro 2015–2016 Comedy Classes Judge 2018 Aunty Boli Lagao Boli Aunty 2019 My Name Ijj Lakhan Paramjeet 2019–2023 The Kapil Sharma Show Permanent Guest 2022India's Laughter ChampionJudge2024–presentThe Great Indian Kapil ShowPermanent Guest2026–presentAdarsh Baal Vidyalaya Urmila Devi2026India's Got LatentGuest Judge

Awards and nominations YearAwardCategoryWorkResult 1997 Filmfare Awards Best Supporting Actress Raja Hindustani 1999Best ComedianKuch Kuch Hota Hai Screen Awards Best Anchor Archana Talkies Asian Television AwardsBest Entertainment Presenter/HostUncensored 2000 IIFA Awards Best Comedian Mohabbatein 2001 Indian Television Academy Awards Aasman Se Tapki 2006 Method Fest Independent Film Festival Best Ensemble Cast The Gold Bracelet

Personal life

Her first marriage with the model Gurinder Singh, also known as Sunny Reya who died accidentally in 1991, did not work and ended in a divorce. She later married actor Parmeet Sethi on 30 June 1992 after 4 year long cohabitation. They have two sons, Aaryamaan and Ayushmaan. Her son Aaryamaan got engaged to actress Yogita Bihani in August 2025.

Notes

References

External links