Archana Puran Singh says Kapil Sharma Show limited film offers: 'They still think that I’m somebody who sits on a chair and laughs'

Archana Puran Singh

After gaining attention as the lead in Jalwa (1987) alongside Naseeruddin Shah, Archana Puran Singh gradually found herself limited to supporting roles. She appeared in item numbers in films like Baaz and Judge Mujrim, while her comic performances in movies such as Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, De Dana Dan, and Bol Bachchan led to her being typecast. The actress was recently seen in the Netflix film Toaster where she played a meaty role. However, she says that film offers for her are very limited as she had denied many job offers while shooting for Kapil Sharma Show.

Archana on not getting work

Her stint as a judge on The Kapil Sharma Show from 2019, replacing Navjot Singh Sidhu, brought her renewed visibility, but also restricted her film opportunities. She revealed that the show's demanding schedule often forced her to turn down projects. Talking to News18, Singh said, "I haven't been able to work in films for all these years. This one time, I got a call. They required me to travel to Scotland for a shoot for 25 days. But it wasn't possible for me to leave the shoot of Kapil's show and film elsewhere. Earlier, when the show used to be aired on TV, we would film a hundred episodes a year. That's the reason I didn't have time to anything else. I ended up saying no to a lot of films. And since I've said no so many times, people stopped approaching me for acting assignments,"

Now, with The Great Indian Kapil Show streaming on Netflix in a seasonal format, Archana is optimistic about exploring new projects, as the flexible schedule allows her to travel and take up film roles.

Archana on landing a role in Toaster

The actress credits lead actor Rajkummar Rao for bagging a role in Toaster which was backed by him and his wife Patralekhaa. Archana shared that the opportunity came after Rao noticed her work in Vicky Vidya Ka Woh Wala Video, and she hopes this project will open more doors for her.

Despite a career spanning over four decades, Archana expressed disappointment that she is still not taken seriously as an actor. "No matter how much I try, I'm not being able to convince filmmakers. Nobody is offering me roles. They aren't very convinced that I'm an actor. They still think that I'm somebody who sits on a chair and laughs," she shared.