Siva Balaji played Cupid for Juggy and me: Archana

Actress Archana Shastry finally found the love of her life in Jagadeesh Bakthavachalam, who is the VP of a healthcare brand in Hyderabad. The two exchanged rings in a
traditional engagement ceremony held in the city on Thursday. Archana walked in wearing a white sparkly ensemble before changing into a South Indian silk saree for the ceremony. The couple was all smiles as Jagadeesh went down on his knees and proposed marriage.
Between getting pictures clicked, seeing off her ammamma and seeking her attha’s blessings, the bride-to-be took time out to share with Hyderabad Times the “nice little story” behind her engagement.
“Guess who played cupid for my fiancé and me? None other than my Bigg Boss co-finalist Siva Balaji. Jagadeesh, or Juggy as we call him, is his childhood friend,” says Archana.
The actress, known for her roles in films like Nenu, Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana and Khaleja, was part of the first season of popular reality show Bigg Boss Telugu and became good friends with fellow contestant Siva Balaji over the course of the show. “Even after the show, I was in touch him and his wife Madhumitha. In fact, my father likes Siva a lot. So when he arranged for a meeting between Juggy and me, it had my parents’ instant approval,” the actress reveals.

Talking about how she decided Juggy was the ‘one’, Archana says, “I am someone who’s always been petrified of marriage. so when I actually brought Juggy home to meet the folks, my family knew it meant something.” They both took time before deciding to get married though, she reveals. “For my fiancé and me, the decision to marry wasn’t instant. It was important to me that my parents liked him first, before I let my emotions flow. I’m a hyper person and my parents like the fact that he’s calm and patient. together, we strike a nice balance.”

Though she calls this an “arranged match”, the actress also admits that it took “countless cups of coffee and a lot of dinner dates” to say, ‘Yes’. “I was very clear when we met that I wasn’t interested in dating; I wanted marriage. Our respective families met at the same time as well, so it’s technically an arranged marriage. we fell in love in the process,” Archana shares, adding, “I never thought I’d find a man who will love me like my parents do. He plans for my future too without me expecting or asking for it. He wants a great marriage, personal life and professional life, just like I do. And that’s what made me fall in love with him, apart from the delightful conversations we have.”
The wedding will be held on November 14. “The engagement was a crazy affair; we were rushing through it all. But luckily, we have time now to plan better for the wedding. I have already begun shopping for it. The preparations have begun,” she says, signing off.
Film frat, friends, family turn up to congratulate Archana and Juggy
A close-knit affair, the engagement ceremony of Archana and beau Jagadeesh aka Juggy, held on Thursday at a plush venue in Hyderabad, was attended by close friends and family of the couple.


From the film frat, Navdeep, Sumanth, and Siva Balaji-Madhumita made their presence felt. The proceedings began with a traditional puja followed by the ring ceremony.