London-born Panjabi picked up the outstanding supporting actress award for her role in The Good Wife as the US honoured stars of the small screen at a lavish Los Angeles ceremony.
Archie made her film debut in the smash hit Film Four/Miramax comedy EAST IS EAST in 1999. The film received a standing ovation in Cannes and was the year’s biggest home-grown hit. “British magic returns to cinema” said The Times. In this 70s set comedy drama Archie played the scene-stealing Meenah, a soccer mad teenage tomboy. The Vancouver Sun described Archie’s hilarious Bollywood broomstick dance as a “comedy classic.” East is East won The Evening Standard Best Film Award and the prestigious Alexander Korda Bafta Award for Best British Film in 2000.
Archie went onto work on the Oscar winning film The CONSTANT GARDENER. Based on the popular John Le Carre novel, the film was directed by Oscar nominated Fernando Meirelles. Archie played Ghita Pearson. When her close friend (Rachel Weisz) is found murdered, Ghita helps her husband (Ralph Fiennes) to discover the sinister truth behind the murder. The film was nominated for ten Baftas and went onto win an Oscar.
Next Archie was cast as the lead in the critically acclaimed award winning film YASMIN, written by Oscar nominated writer of The Full Monty, Simon Beaufoy. It tells the story of a young British Muslim woman whose life is torn apart in the aftermath of September 11. Archie received excellent reviews and the film was reshown on Channel Four six months later. The Daily Mail said her “funny, sad and touching performance will not only rocket her to instant stardom, but will have given all who witnessed it food for thought for many years to come.”
Later in 2005 Ridley Scott cast her as Gemma, Russell Crowe’s scene stealing mischievous and savvy executive assistant in the 20th Century Fox romantic comedy A GOOD YEAR, an adaptation of Peter Mayle’s popular novel featuring Marion Cotillard. On working with her, Ridley Scott described Archie as “smart and sensitive enough as an actress to make anything fly, comedy or drama, an unusual talent.”
In 2007 Michael Winterbottom cast Archie alongside Angelina Jolie in A MIGHTY HEART. The film is based on Mariane Pearl’s bestselling memoir about the murdered Wall Street Journal writer Daniel Pearl. Archie played the role of Asra Nomani, an Indian-American journalist and very close friend of Daniel Pearl. When Daniel fails to return from his interview both Asra and Marianne embark of an intense search effort. The film received a standing ovation in Cannes and continues to receive superb reviews, often picking out Archie’s stand out performance. There is already talk of Oscars. Archie won The Chopard Trophy in Cannes 2007 for her performance in A MIGHTY HEART. Previous winners of this award include Gael Garcia and Marion Cotillard.
In 2005 Archie went onto to work on A VERY SOCIAL SECRETARY, a Channel 4 satire on David Blunkett’s affair with the American publisher of The Spectator, which led to the former Home Secretary’s resignation. It was nominated for a Bafta and an Emmy. Archie played Blunkett’s (Bernard Hill) loyal but principled political aide, the only one who was sympathetic to the blind man. The Telegraph said “Archie is superb as Ashley.”
