How a brutal injury ended Archana Puran Singh’s son’s dream after scoring 4 goals against Pakistan

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Aaryamann Sethi on facing bullying and becoming the bully

“But as a kid, when you get bullied, you also end up bullying others. I grew up around so much aggression that it became hard for me not to be aggressive at times,” he shared. Mentioning that he was always seen as an “outsider” in others’ eyes, Aaryamann explained, “Whenever I went to play football, everyone considered me the ‘son of a celebrity’ and the ‘rich kid.’ Even though I was good at football, they treated me differently. So, I always played with kids who were older than me. I was short, and they used to bully me, pull my leg, and even steal my things.”

The power dynamics, however, would shift when Aaryamann played with kids his own age; there, he would be the bully. “Now I wonder, why did I do that? I feel guilty for that behaviour,” he added. When Ayushmaan pointed out that Aaryamann wasn’t as big a bully as he had pictured himself to be, Archana shared that it was part of his nature as, she said, he doesn’t know how to forgive himself and move on. Instead, he tends to be hard on himself and sulk over something he did even years ago, she added. “That’s why you are a vegetarian and don’t even kill mosquitoes. Your sensitivity is there in every sphere,” she noted.

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How Parmeet Sethi turned Aaryamann into a machine

Aaryamann further recalled his childhood when his parents were going through a rough patch. “Mom and Dad were not in a good space, and I have seen them fight. All of that was too much for a sensitive kid like me. So, I’ve always felt like I am fighting the world. Even when I went to England, I was the only Indian around me, and I was again fighting the world. I faced bullying and racism there. When I broke my leg during my time there, I was alone,” he added.

Aaryamann mentioned that although his father pushed him to pick up tennis as a kid, his love for football was so strong that choosing an alternative sport was not an option for him. He further recalled how tough his life was at nine when he began training for football, as Parmeet curbed his leisure time, denying him even the opportunity to attend friends’ birthday parties. But Parmeet’s tough strategy proved helpful.

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Aaryamann Sethi’s iconic match against Pakistan

“Papa turned me into a machine. In four months, I became the second fastest player in Maharashtra under 13. I played for Maharashtra and then India,” Aaryamann said, to which Archana added, “You also went to Iran for a match, where you scored four goals against Pakistan in one match.” She also recalled how the coach had called her to congratulate her after India’s win.

To fulfil his dream of making it big in football, Archana somehow managed to get him a trial with Queens Park Rangers. Since he wasn’t a local kid, his chances of getting onto the team were low. Hence, he shifted to a school in London to play football. But he broke his leg again, and in that moment, he realised that his dream was over.

Parmeet had recalled the incident in a 2025 vlog: “His leg broke, so we brought him back to India and got the rehabilitation process done for recovery. Before sending him back after two months, he wanted to play a practice match between Maharashtra and Gujarat, he was the captain of our state… When he went, in the first 20 seconds of the match itself, somebody charged at him and broke his leg again. It was just not a fracture, a rod had to be inserted. His entire one year was wasted… After his injury, they said he won’t be able to reach the same level as other boys. So, he had to let go off that dream and come back.” Aaryamann said that therapy helped him recover and accept this loss.

Gurleen Baruah, psychotherapist at That Culture Thing, told Indian Express about how therapy helps to deal with such a loss. “In therapy, I often see how immersing fully in something creative can calm the nervous system and quiet the mind. Over time, when such activities are done regularly, people don’t just move on; they slowly grow into new versions of themselves,” says Baruah.

DISCLAIMER: This article highlights personal reflections on emotional distress, experiences with bullying, and family dynamics. While it offers a narrative on resilience and personal growth, it is intended for storytelling purposes and should not be taken as professional psychological or behavioral advice.