It’s safe to say that the svelte television presenter, Archana Vijaya, has become a household name now — owing to her skills as a host in a variety of streams including sports, food, fashion and more! For her ardent fans, this IPL season would be even more special, as she is making a comeback to the TV show Extraaa Innings T20 on Sony MAX. In a chat with us, Archana touches upon various topics including the art of multi-tasking, the reason to resist tinsel town offers, and more.
Talking about how she feels to be back on the show, she quips, “I didn’t go anywhere! Extraaa Innings is like family to me. Though I was not part of the IPL last year, a whole bunch of fans were persistent and showed their love and support — it was overwhelming. It’s also a reason for my comeback.”
This year, Archana will be donning a new hat on the show, as she gears up to host a new segment where she will be traveling across the country — looking for untold stories of cricketing legends, catching fans unaware and bringing some behind-the-scene tales to viewers.
Referring to the team which she is looking forward to see this year, she says, “Last year, I didn’t get to see Rising Pune Supergiants and Gujarat Lions up close. So, it will be exciting to watch these teams. I would like to see a new champion this time around. And, it is surprising that RCB has not won the tournament yet— they have probably the best fan base and they have great players. But at the end of the day, I would want the best team to win.”
Does she have a favourite memory from previous editions of the tournament? “I remember the time when KKR won the IPL (2012). I promised that I would perform their theme song Korbo Lorbo Jeetbo if they won! So after winning the semis, SRK, in his charming style, asked me to dance for him! (grins) After winning the tournament, I danced again in the studio. Another incident was when I was supposed to go live — right at that moment, I was hit by a speeding ball... I guess it was Virender Sehwag, who was at net practice. With tears rolling from my eyes, I managed to say, ‘Welcome back!’”
She also states that multitasking is something which comes to her naturally — “It’s tough, but also fun. Apart from other commitments, I started an e-commerce website for fashion. In this era of social media, you can be updated on everything easily.”
When it comes to fitness, keeping it simple is her secret — “One thing that has helped me stay fit is I eat well. I make sure that I have an average of 21 meals per week. As a piece of advice, I would ask people to take fitness as part of their daily routine — walk a lot! A few simple routines go a long way.”
Veering the conversation to films, she asserts, “I have got a lot of offers, yes. But I have been busy with what I’m doing, and love it so much. People think that everything we are doing should be a stepping stone to films — I don’t understand why. I’ve made a full-fledged career out of what I’m doing; it’s not a second fiddle at all!”
