Archana Padmini is an Indian actress, film curator, and assistant director. She is known for working mainly in the Malayalam film industry. In 2022, she worked in the Indian English-language film ‘Wonder Women’ directed by Anjali Menon.
Contents
Wiki/Biography
Archana Padmini was born on 26 November in Manjeri, Kerala, India. Her zodiac sign is Sagittarius. She studied at Manjeri Unity Women’s College in Manjeri, Kerala. [1]Time News She pursued a master’s degree in English literature at Maharajas College in Ernakulam, Kerala. [2]Facebook – Archana Padmini
A childhood image of Archana Padmini with her younger brother
Physical Appearance
Height (approx.): 5′ 5″
Weight (approx.): 60kg
Hair Colour: Black
Eye Colour: Black
Figure Measurements (approx.): 32-30-32
Family
Archana Padmini belongs to a Malayali family in Manjeri, Kerala, India.
Parents & Siblings
Her mother, Padmini KP, is an anganwadi teacher. She has one younger brother named Abhishek KP, who works for 90+ My Tuition App.
Archana Padmini with her parents and younger brother
Career
Trainer
She worked as a trainer for the Additional Skill Acquisition Programme (ASAP) by the State Skill Development Project, Government of Kerala. She worked as a trainer at Helen O’Grady International, an after-school drama programme, in Mumbai.
Theatre
While studying in college, she became a part of a film society called Montash. She has worked in many theatre productions. She used to take part in plays at college festivals.
Archana Padmini while performing in a theatrical production
Film
In 2016, she debuted with the Malayalam-language film ‘With Her.’
Poster of the 2016 film ‘With Her’
In 2017, she was cast in a supporting role in the Malayalam-language drama film ‘Vith.’ In the same year, she played the role of Achu in the drama documentary film ‘When two kiss.’ She played a supporting role in the 2021 Malayalam-language film ‘Nayuttu.’ In 2022, she acted in the Malayalam-language film ‘Ela Veezha Poonchira.’ In 2022, she played the role of Gracy in the English-language film ‘Wonder Women.’
Poster of the 2022 film ‘Wonder Women’
Curator
In September 2018, she became the founder member and film festival curator at Minimal Cinema, a production house to support independent and experimental movies. She is also the president of Minimal Cinema. On 1 September 2019, she became the founder member and secretary of the PK Rosy Film Society. [3]Facebook – Archana Padmini She has been the curator and coordinator of various international and regional film festivals. [4]Linkedin – Archana Padmini In 2020, she was appointed as a moderator at Bengaluru International Short Film Festival (BISFF).
Archana Padmini as a moderator at the 2020 Bengaluru International Short Film Festival
She has worked as a curator at IFFK (International Film Festival of Kerala).
Assistant director
In 2017, she worked as an assistant director in the Malayalam-language documentary film ‘When two kiss.’ In 2019, she worked as an associate director in the Malayalam-language film ‘Oru Rathri Oru Pakal.’
Poster of the 2019 film ‘Oru Rathri Oru Pakal’
Facts/Trivia
- Archana Padmini’s birthname is Ammu. [5]Facebook – Archana Padmini
- She likes to read books often.
Archana Padmini’s Instagram post in which she is holding a book
- She worked as a teacher in a school in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
- In 2017, when Archana was working in the Malayalam-language film ‘Pullikkaran Staraa,’ she was sexually assaulted on the set of the film while shooting. She alleged that a production manager named Sherin Stanley misbehaved with her. She filed a complaint with the Film Employees Federation of Kerala (FEFKA) against the accused; however, no action was taken. [6]The New Indian Express In an interview, while talking about this incident, she said,
When FEFKA authorities heard my complaint, I felt that they really understood what I had endured. I did not realise, at first, that they were only tactically dealing with me. [7]The Quint I had raised the complaint with director B Unnikrishnan. Even Sibi Malayil and Sohan Seenu Lal are also aware of the complaint. No action whatsoever has been taken against the accused, and he is still working in movies.” [8]The New Indian Express
- On 28 April 2019, she became a member of the Women in Cinema Collective (WCC) organisation, which talks openly about gender discrimination, assaults, safer workplaces, and misogyny against women, especially, in the Malayalam entertainment industry; however, according to Archana, women that belonged to the Malayalam film industry and became a part of WCC, later, faced consequences of joining WCC. In an interview, she talked about this and said,
After I joined the WCC, I lost a few opportunities, I was thrown out of one particular project. I stopped getting offers or even calls to auditions. I don’t know if men have become more self-aware or scared, but they’ve definitely become more careful while speaking to women. They know that we have a collective like WCC where we can raise our voices to bring them down.” [9]Hindustan Times
- In 2021, she was selected to be a part of the jury panel at Prathidhwani Qisa Film Festival.
Archana Padmini as a part of the jury panel at the 2021 Prathidhwani Qisa Film Festival
- In 2022, She was one of the members of the jury panel at the FETE International Short Film Festival.
- In 2017, she became a supporter of the #MeToo movement and allegedly, received death threats as a consequence of joining the movement. In a 2019 interview, when she was asked about whether she had stopped receiving threats and how the movement affected her life, she replied,
Personally speaking, I am not getting many offers from the mainstream. But I’ve never been actively involved in the mainstream and it’s only when you ask that I become aware of the fact. But there are other women solely dependent on mainstream cinema and have spoken up. I feel scared for them.” [10]Silverscreen India
