# Archana Puran Singh (अर्चना पूरन सिंह)
**Archana Puran Singh** (अर्चना पूरन सिंह) is an Indian film and television actress and television presenter, born in 1962 in Dehradun, Uttarakhand, who is best known to television audiences as a judge on comedy shows including *The Kapil Sharma Show* and to film audiences for roles such as Miss Braganza in *Kuch Kuch Hota Hai* (1998).[1](https://hindi.filmibeat.com/celebs/archana-puran-singh.html) • [2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0700687/)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1962, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, in a Punjabi family[1](https://hindi.filmibeat.com/celebs/archana-puran-singh.html) |
| Film debut | *Jalwa* (1987), in a lead role opposite Naseeruddin Shah[3](https://english.ratopati.com/story/59910/the-kapil-sharma-show-halted-archana-puran-singhs-acting-journey) |
| Best-known film roles | Miss Braganza in *Kuch Kuch Hota Hai* (1998); *Raja Hindustani*, *Agneepath*, *Mohabbatein*, *Krrish*, *Bol Bachchan*[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0700687) |
| Signature TV role | Judge on *The Kapil Sharma Show* (joined after Navjot Singh Sidhu stepped away in 2019), *The Great Indian Kapil Show*, and earlier comedy shows[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/archana-puran-singh-says-kapil-sharma-show-cost-her-films-nobody-takes-me-seriously-10646780/) |
| Career gap | No film offers for 10 years after *Bol Bachchan* (2012)[5](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/archana-puran-singh-reveals-she-got-no-film-offers-for-10-years-after-bol-bachchan-bollywood-toaster-101784608591495.html) |
| Recent work | *Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video* (2024), *Housefull 5* (2025), *Toaster* (2026), and the series *Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya*[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0700687) |
| Family | Married to actor Parmeet Sethi for 33 years; sons Aaryamann and Ayushmaan[6](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/archana-puran-singh-opens-up-about-doing-c-grade-films-to-survive-i-also-wanted-to-become-a-heroine-101769511588233.html) • [7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/archana-puran-singh-goes-house-hunting-to-buy-a-new-mansion-in-madh-island-shares-a-glimpse-of-the-luxurious-property/photostory/131460033.cms) |
## Early career
Singh moved to Mumbai in the early 1980s to try modeling and began her career with advertising work; her commercial for Band-aid became widely known.[8](https://www.aajtak.in/entertainment/television/photo/archana-puran-singh-career-journey-from-bollywood-films-to-the-kapil-sharma-show-tmov-1333944-2021-09-29-2) In an interview for the Indian Express series First of Many, she recalled her first acting project as the [Doordarshan](https://www.edgepedia.org/doordarshan) serial *Mr Ya Mrs*, a lead role offered by director [Jalal Agha](https://www.edgepedia.org/jalal-agha) after a chance meeting while she was still a model.[9](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/archana-puran-singh-acting-debut-tv-show-mr-ya-mrs-doordarshan-first-of-many-6483359/)
Her Hindi film debut came in 1987 with *Jalwa*, in which she appeared in a lead role opposite [Naseeruddin Shah](https://www.edgepedia.org/naseeruddin-shah).[3](https://english.ratopati.com/story/59910/the-kapil-sharma-show-halted-archana-puran-singhs-acting-journey) Although she went on to work steadily in films, she never established herself as a leading actress, and in a 2019 interview she said she felt she had not had much chance to experiment with different roles, having mostly received comic parts.[10](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/archana-puran-singh-i-did-not-get-much-chance-to-experiment-with-different-roles-1435444-2019-01-21)
**Memorable film characters.** Her filmography spans more than 100 credits, including the flirtatious college professor Miss Braganza in [Karan Johar](https://www.edgepedia.org/karan-johar)'s directorial debut *Kuch Kuch Hota Hai* (1998), and parts in *Raja Hindustani* (1996), *Agneepath* (1990), *Mohabbatein* (2000), *Krrish* (2006), *De Dana Dan*, *Kick* (2014), and *Bol Bachchan* (2012).[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0700687) On Doordarshan in the 1990s she played Prema Shalini in the sitcom *Shrimaan Shrimati*, a role audiences still associate with her.[9](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/archana-puran-singh-acting-debut-tv-show-mr-ya-mrs-doordarshan-first-of-many-6483359/)
## Television fame
Television made her a household name. She judged comedy shows such as *Comedy Circus*, *Comedy Classes*, and *India's Laughter Champion*, and joined *The Kapil Sharma Show* after [Navjot Singh Sidhu](https://www.edgepedia.org/navjot-singh-sidhu) stepped away following a controversy in 2019.[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/archana-puran-singh-says-kapil-sharma-show-cost-her-films-nobody-takes-me-seriously-10646780/) She now appears as a judge on *The Great Indian Kapil Show*, which runs on Netflix.[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/archana-puran-singh-says-kapil-sharma-show-cost-her-films-nobody-takes-me-seriously-10646780/)
The same success limited her film career. In an interview with News18 she explained that while the show aired on television the team filmed around 100 episodes a year, leaving no time for outside shoots; she once declined a part that required a 25-day shoot in Scotland because she could not leave the show. After repeatedly saying no, filmmakers stopped approaching her for acting roles.[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/archana-puran-singh-says-kapil-sharma-show-cost-her-films-nobody-takes-me-seriously-10646780/) She said she received no film offers for a decade after *Bol Bachchan*, and that even after the well-received *Toaster* she continued to receive brand endorsements but few acting offers.[5](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/archana-puran-singh-reveals-she-got-no-film-offers-for-10-years-after-bol-bachchan-bollywood-toaster-101784608591495.html) • [11](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/archana-puran-singh-says-toaster-didnt-bring-more-acting-offers-a-lot-of-filmmakers-thought-that-i-was-busy-doing-comedy-shows/amp_articleshow/132509638.cms) She added that many filmmakers assumed she was busy with comedy shows and did not take her seriously as an actor.[4](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/archana-puran-singh-says-kapil-sharma-show-cost-her-films-nobody-takes-me-seriously-10646780/)
## Return to acting
When *The Great Indian Kapil Show* moved to a seasonal OTT format on Netflix, her schedule changed. Between seasons she and [Kapil Sharma](https://www.edgepedia.org/kapil-sharma) have time for other work, and she says she can now accept acting roles again.[12](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/im-rediscovering-more-opportunities-as-an-actress-archana-puran-singh/amp_articleshow/131344732.cms)
Her casting in *Toaster* (2026), opposite [Rajkummar Rao](https://www.edgepedia.org/rajkummar-rao), followed her performance in *Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video* (2024); Rao had seen her work in that film and the collaboration led to the later role.[13](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/archana-puran-singh-says-the-kapil-sharma-show-cost-her-film-roles-101776673079309.html/) She has also appeared in *Housefull 5* (2025) and the series *Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya* with [Kay Kay Menon](https://www.edgepedia.org/kay-kay-menon), and has spoken of another film with [Vikrant Massey](https://www.edgepedia.org/vikrant-massey).[2](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0700687) • [12](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/im-rediscovering-more-opportunities-as-an-actress-archana-puran-singh/amp_articleshow/131344732.cms)
She has also built a public presence on YouTube, where her family vlogs have become widely popular.[5](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/archana-puran-singh-reveals-she-got-no-film-offers-for-10-years-after-bol-bachchan-bollywood-toaster-101784608591495.html)
## Personal life
Singh has been married to the actor [Parmeet Sethi](https://www.edgepedia.org/parmeet-sethi) for 33 years. In a conversation on her YouTube channel, the couple described a period when she was the family's main breadwinner, taking every project that came her way to make ends meet while Sethi waited for substantial roles.[6](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/archana-puran-singh-opens-up-about-doing-c-grade-films-to-survive-i-also-wanted-to-become-a-heroine-101769511588233.html) The couple have two sons, Aaryamann and Ayushmaan.[7](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/archana-puran-singh-goes-house-hunting-to-buy-a-new-mansion-in-madh-island-shares-a-glimpse-of-the-luxurious-property/photostory/131460033.cms)
## References
1. [अर्चना पूरन सिंह, Filmibeat Hindi](https://hindi.filmibeat.com/celebs/archana-puran-singh.html)
2. [Archana Puran Singh, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0700687/)
3. [Archana Puran Singh laments how reality show success has stalled her acting career, Ratopati](https://english.ratopati.com/story/59910/the-kapil-sharma-show-halted-archana-puran-singhs-acting-journey)
4. ['Nobody takes me seriously': Archana Puran Singh says Kapil Sharma show cost her films, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/archana-puran-singh-says-kapil-sharma-show-cost-her-films-nobody-takes-me-seriously-10646780/)
5. [Archana Puran Singh reveals she got no film offers for 10 years after Bol Bachchan, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/archana-puran-singh-reveals-she-got-no-film-offers-for-10-years-after-bol-bachchan-bollywood-toaster-101784608591495.html)
6. [Archana Puran Singh opens up about doing C-grade films to survive, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/htcity/cinema/archana-puran-singh-opens-up-about-doing-c-grade-films-to-survive-i-also-wanted-to-become-a-heroine-101769511588233.html)
7. [Archana Puran Singh goes house hunting in Madh Island, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/archana-puran-singh-goes-house-hunting-to-buy-a-new-mansion-in-madh-island-shares-a-glimpse-of-the-luxurious-property/photostory/131460033.cms)
8. [Archana Puran Singh career journey, Television AajTak](https://www.aajtak.in/entertainment/television/photo/archana-puran-singh-career-journey-from-bollywood-films-to-the-kapil-sharma-show-tmov-1333944-2021-09-29-2)
9. [First of Many: Archana Puran Singh revisits Mr Ya Mrs, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/television/archana-puran-singh-acting-debut-tv-show-mr-ya-mrs-doordarshan-first-of-many-6483359/)
10. [Archana Puran Singh: I did not get much chance to experiment with different roles, India Today](https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/celebrities/story/archana-puran-singh-i-did-not-get-much-chance-to-experiment-with-different-roles-1435444-2019-01-21)
11. [Archana Puran Singh says 'Toaster' didn't bring more acting offers, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/archana-puran-singh-says-toaster-didnt-bring-more-acting-offers-a-lot-of-filmmakers-thought-that-i-was-busy-doing-comedy-shows/amp_articleshow/132509638.cms)
12. [I'm rediscovering more opportunities as an actress: Archana Puran Singh, The Times of India](https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tv/news/hindi/im-rediscovering-more-opportunities-as-an-actress-archana-puran-singh/amp_articleshow/131344732.cms)
13. ['Nobody is offering me roles': Archana Puran Singh says The Kapil Sharma Show cost her films, Hindustan Times](https://www.hindustantimes.com/entertainment/bollywood/archana-puran-singh-says-the-kapil-sharma-show-cost-her-film-roles-101776673079309.html/)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Film people and crafts › Film actors and performers › Indian and South Asian film actors by industry and language › Hindi film actors, 1990s–2000s › Surnames R to Z*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 17, 2026; Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Sep 30, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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