Archana Puran Singh doesn’t understand why people hide their age. More so, if they are in showbiz. The actor, who turns 59 today, shares that many people also hide their real birthday and celebrate being of the same age over and over again. “In the 40 years of my career, I have never had a secretary or agent. I just had one manager, Jeet, but for a brief period. When people used to ask my age, I’d say 20 or 21. She (manager) would stop me. I’d say, ‘It’s just 20, not 40’. She’d reply, ‘Nahin, aaj 20 bologe toh log hisaab lagayenge 10 saal baad 30 hai’. This was the general trend,” recounts Singh.

Today, when all the information is readily available on the internet, the actor feels that it will be a task to hide one’s real age. “You can just search everything. I don’t believe in hiding my age,” she shares and laughs, “What do they think, children are 25 and you’re still 16?(sic).”

Recalling the first birthday party she threw after becoming an actor, she says, “I was at a restaurant, adjusting my dress... the door opened, and someone entered with a huge bouquet. I couldn’t see and asked, ‘Kaun laya hai?’ and suddenly from behind came a voice, ‘Hum laaye hain’. It turned out to be Amit ji (Amitabh Bachchan). I was like, ‘Amit ji aap 7 baje aa gaye’, he said, ‘Aapne 7 baje bulaya toh hum 7 baje hi aayenge na!’(laughs)”.