The Netflix Hindi film stars Agastya Nanda as Archie Andrews, Khushi Kapoor as Betty Cooper, Suhana Khan as Veronica Lodge, Vedang Raina as Reggie Mantle, Mihir Ahuja as Jughead Jones, Aditi ‘Dot’ Saigal as Ethel Muggs, Yuvraj Menda as Dilton Doiley, Santana Roach as Midge Klump, Alyy Khan as Hiram Lodge, Rudhra Mahuvarkar as Moose Mason, and others. The screenplay, written by Ayesha Devitre Dhillon, Reema Kagti, and Zoya Akhtar, is adapted from Archie Comics. The film is directed by Zoya Akhtar.
The music is composed by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Ankur Tewari, The Islanders, and Aditi Saigal. The cinematography is by Nikos Andritsakis. The dialogues are written by Farhan Akhtar.
-No Spoilers-
The Archies is set in the 1960s, in independent India, where the Anglo-Indian community still exists. A group of teenagers want to save their favourite green park, where they’ve had many great childhood memories. It’s a struggle between understanding new ways of life, bidding goodbye to childhood, and walking the path of adulthood.
The Archies Review: Discussion
The Archies Netflix begins by teasing a love triangle between Betty, Archie, and Veronica. But there is very little chemistry between either of the couples. The story also explores the friendship dynamics of the group and how these teens will soon embrace adulthood. However, there are very few moments offered where we see the friendship aspect shine. It seems like everyone is distracted by something. Is it the setting that looks like a made-up set and never looks like a real place? Is it because of the dialogues that don’t sit well with the era and the way the characters are dressed up?
When the trailer was released, I believed saving the green park would just be one part of the narrative, and Zoya would have other significant premises to keep us engrossed and fall in love with India’s Riverdale. Sadly, that doesn’t happen. It takes an hour for the main plot to make its way. But until then, we are given a glimpse of high school matters, which don’t feel organic.
Yet, certain sequences stand out. The Archies is a musical, and my favourite number was the Politics song in the classroom. Sunoh and Va Va Voom are already my favourites, but this one became a new addition to my list. The strength of Akhtar’s movie lies mostly in the musical numbers and the message they convey, rather than the exchanges that happen between the characters.
The movie discusses how big corporations are going to take away the essence and simplicity of the town. The issue is played out quite well sometimes. Considering the movie also intends to tap into nostalgia, it’s heartwarming to see youngsters trying to save what matters to them, their surroundings, and also because of all the good memories.
The world of Netflix’s The Archies movie doesn’t look like it’s India, and so there is a curiosity to see what goes on there. All one wants is for the story to be good, the performances to be praiseworthy, and the payoff to leave us feeling gratified after watching a 2-hour, 23-minute movie. However, the Zoya Akhtar directorial offers very little to cherish, considering the material they had and the runtime.
It’s sad to see the friendship and romantic chemistry lacking in Zoya’s film. She has given us Zindagi Na Milegi Dobaara and Dil Dhadakne Do. The filmmaker understands the depth of relationships. But the passion was somewhat missing here. Another disappointment was the performance. Khushi Kapoor gave the weakest performance as Betty Cooper. Most of the time, her character makes us wonder what exactly she is trying to convey or express.
Suhana Khan gets the sass of Veronica Lodge right, although she overdoes it sometimes. But as a debutant, she radiates great confidence on screen and has amazing dancing skills. Agastya Nanda, as Archie Andrew, does a decent job. He brings on screen Archie’s confusion about the two girls quite well. The way his disinterest in politics or apolitical stand was called out was quite interesting to watch.
The actor whose performance stood out for me was Vedang Raina as Reggie. Reggie is a supporting character in The Archies, yet Vedang is exceptional in his portrayal of a person who can sometimes be tough and polite. Mihir Ahuja as Jughead was treated like a background character. He’s THE Jughead Jones and should’ve shone along with others.
Final Thoughts
Overall, Zoya Akhtar’s Netflix film about India’s Riverdale mostly lacks soul, unless it’s dancing to some peppy numbers. The average performances don’t let the characters shine, thus constantly making you realise how weak the story is at times. The town looks pretty, and so do the people. But the main issue is tackled just on a surface level. Along with the few good aspects mentioned above, the best part of The Archies is its music.
The movie is now streaming on Netflix.
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