On International Women’s Day, ETimes TV spoke with Archana Gautam about her life and the struggles she faced to reach wherever she is today. She the actress has revealed how she has been mocked by people for not knowing English. She also opened up about her interaction with Salman Khan at the Bigg Boss 16 after party. Interview excerpts:
“The main rejection I faced after coming to Mumbai was because I didn’t know English. I used to go to meet people and they were talking in English and I didn’t understand. times people would look down on me. They would consider me ‘anpad gawar’ (illiterate). They wouldn’t say these things to my face but they wouldn’t give me a job and they would say baad mein batate hain (I’ll let you know later) and I would get to know him,” he shared .
When asked how this has affected her life, she said: “I started to doubt myself and thought that people who have money, big cars, phones or are fashionable can only get jobs. And I would not got a job. There was so much struggle and I felt very low on confidence. I would have heard ke life mein pata nahi kuch mil paayega yaa nahi. Itna struggle tha life mein. I thought about learning English but I also knew that I can’t be fluent in just one day. I tried to become elegant and I was so naive at the time that I believed that by wearing short dresses or revealing dresses, showing cleavage, I would become elegant. People would think I was attractive. Then, I realized that this wasnt going to train and i should transfer to south industry and i may do something there.i took 2 south movies;they were not a big hit.one of my recent south movies,a telugu movie,became a hit.
However, Archana’s views have now changed: “My thinking has changed now and I feel that everyone gets what they deserve, sooner or later and we shouldn’t lose hope. Just be patient and keep working hard,” she says.
When asked how she cared for herself, Archana shared: “I started people-watching and started doing my hair. I’d watch girls at parties or how they walked. I learned how to do my makeup by watching YouTube videos. I got myself colored in hair and I got it right”.
Talking about meeting Salman Khan at the Bigg Boss 16 after party, she said: “When I met Salman Khan sir at the Bigg Boss after party, he told me that I should focus on a career in entertainment. He praised my play in the show and said many people loved me for the entertainment quotient I provided. Salman sir praising me is a big thing for me.”
