Entertainment
The Archies Review: Zoya Akhtar Brings The Perfect Christmas Movie Date That Is Contemporary And Replete With Messaging

Director: Zoya Akhtar
Cast: Agastya Nanda, Aditi Saigal aka Dot. Khushi Kapoor, Mihir Ahuja, Suhana Khan, Vedang Raina, Yuvraj Menda, Santana Roach, Rudra Mahuvarkar, Alyy Khan, Luke Kenny, Vinay Pathak, Koel Purie, Tara Sharma Saluja, Sheena Khalid, Delnaz Irani
Where: Streaming now on Netflix
Rating: 4 stars
Experiencing Zoya Akhtar’s sincere tribute to our cherished childhood comic feels deeply personal and, to some extent, cathartic. Having attended an Anglo-Indian institution and with my closest friends hailing from the community, Akhtar’s cultural portrayal resonates with remarkable accuracy.
In the initial stages of the film, a significant character recites a quote from William Faulkner: “You cannot swim for new horizons until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore.” Throughout Akhtar’s promotional campaign, she was often presented with a question that implied she had the freedom to create any film with desired actors and technicians, since she is well-positioned at the top of everyone’s wishlist. However, the filmmaker certainly understands how to enjoy the process and at times, prioritize art for its inherent purpose rather than solely for profit—an ethos that radiates throughout The Archies. As another character aptly notes, “to make art, you must go in, not out.” This clarifies her intention to establish a captivating world, with seven new faces taking centre-stage.
It is the year 1964, and Riverdale, a picturesque town nestled in the hills of North India, bears the traces of English influences in its essence. Inhabitants of this town carry the heritage of English ancestry in their veins, yet their hearts resonate with India as their true home. The beating heart of this town is the community garden known as Green Park. It is the very spot where Archibald ‘Archie’ Andrews (Agastya Nanda), Ethel Muggs (Aditi Saigal aka Dot.), Betty Cooper (Khushi Kapoor), Jughead Jones (Mihir Ahuja), Veronica Lodge (Suhana Khan), Reggie Mantle (Vedang Raina), and Dilton Doiley (Yuvraj Menda) took their initial steps as infants, following their birth in 1947. The resilience of their friendship and the future of the town are put to the test when a suggestion is put forth to construct a hotel instead of the park. Amidst the challenges, they navigate matters of the heart on the threshold of adulthood.
Co-written with her collaborators Ayesha Devitre Dhillon and Reema Kagti, Zoya incorporates multiple themes and concerns, and let me tell you, it’s a delicate path to navigate. Yet, it’s an ingenious move to employ cinema in the form of a musical to convey a message to a new generation that appears to be lost in the pursuit of validation through meaningless reels and endless scrolling on Instagram. The fear of maturing and taking on adult responsibilities, the shared social responsibility, the need for free press and critique, conflicts between humanity and nature, and the imperative need to engage in politics seamlessly align within the narrative, without any element standing out conspicuously. Incorporating all these elements, the film takes a sweeping journey down memory lane to a time when our lives were brimming with innocence and idealism. It harks back to an era where our eyes sparkled with aspirations and ambition. The melodies crafted by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Ankur Tewari and The Islanders perfectly capture the essence of The Archies. From the attire to the production design overseen by Suzanne Caplan Merwanji, to the cinematography skillfully executed by Nikos Anaritsakis, you’ll find yourself irresistibly pulled into this world as it unfolds in front of you. One aspect that the film might be criticized for is its length, an aspect where editor Nitin Baid could have exercised more consideration.
Setting that aside, there isn’t a single false note that can be pinpointed in the performances delivered by the film’s young cast. Agastya effortlessly embodies Archie, a character that occasionally flirts, infusing idealism with his charm. Dot., as Ethel, is delightfully ambitious, and her character resonated with me the most. Vedang effectively portrays the neighborhood heartthrob Reggie, while Mihir, as Archie’s bro-dude Jughead, is hilariously on point. Suhana is aptly yet unconventionally cast as Veronica, a daddy’s princess with a heart. Khushi embodies the perfect girl-next-door who loves to bake. However, my favorite performance has to be Yuvraj as Dilton, the genius whose moment of truth will leave you deeply moved.
The Archies arrives on Netflix as an early Christmas gift, one that will leave you with a heartwarming feeling. It’s a film that you’d cherish revisiting with your friends on lazy Sunday afternoons.
Bollywood
Karan Johar to Shah Rukh Khan: ‘All hail the king of the MET’

Mumbai, May 6: Global icon Shah Rukh Khan made a dazzling debut at the Met Gala 2025, setting the red carpet ablaze with his signature charm and style. His longtime friend Karan Johar couldn’t hold back, declaring, “the internet didn’t just broke into a gazillion hearts” the moment he stepped out.
Karan Johar to Shah Rukh Khan: All hail the king of the MET
Mumbai, Global icon Shah Rukh Khan made a dazzling debut at the Met Gala 2025, setting the red carpet ablaze with his signature charm and style. His longtime friend Karan Johar couldn’t hold back, declaring, “the internet didn’t just broke into a gazillion hearts” the moment he stepped out.
Wearing a sharp ensemble by Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Shah Rukh looked dapper in a floor-sweeping black trench coat layered over an unbuttoned shirt. He completed chunky jewellery including eye-popping diamond-studded pendants emblazoned with “K”.
To add to the drama, he carried a walking stick with a tiger-top, which was completely in sync with this year’s theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style”.
Karan took to his Instagram, where he shared a video of Shah Rukh walking out in style. The filmmaker captioned it: “All hail the king of the MET!!! The internet just broke into a gazillion hearts!!! Bhai you rule.”
He then shared a picture of Shah Rukh originally posted by the star’s manager Pooja Dadlani and wrote: “The King” along with the song “Here Comes The Hotstepper” playing in the background.
As per reports, Shah Rukh posed, smiled, waved and even treated fans with his signature pose.
The 2025 theme “Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,” is inspired by Monica L Miller’s book Slaves to Fashion: Black Dandyism and the Styling of Black Diasporic Identity, published in 2009. The fashion gala for the first time has put the spotlight on menswear.
The Met Gala is the annual haute couture fundraising festival held for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute in Manhattan. The Met Gala is popularly regarded as the world’s most prestigious and glamorous fashion event.
Attendees are given the opportunity to express themselves through fashion, often producing elaborate and highly publicized outfits inspired by the evening’s theme and broader cultural context.
filmy crime
Actor, Producer Charged By Mumbai Cops After Row Over ‘Sex Positions’ Clip

Mumbai: The producer and host of the reality show ‘House Arrest’ on the ‘ULLU’ streaming app have been charged under sections related to the indecent representation of women after a clip in which contestants were made to depict ‘sex positions’ went viral.
The clip shows the programme’s host Ajaz Khan, who is a former ‘Bigg Boss’ contestant, putting pressure on contestants, including women, to act out intimate situations. Mr Khan also asks the participants some vulgar questions, persisting with his line of inquiry despite the participants being visibly uncomfortable.
Based on a complaint by an activist from the right-wing group Bajrang Dal, the police in Mumbai’s Amboli on Friday registered a First Information Report (FIR) against Mr Khan and the producer of ‘House Arrest’, Rajkumar Pandey.
The FIR has been registered under sections related to obscene acts in public places and others under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Information Technology Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act.
The case was registered on a day that the show was taken off the app and the National Commission of Women took note of the controversy and summoned Mr Khan and the CEO of the Ullu app, Vibhu Agarwal.
“NCW takes suo motu cognisance of obscene content on Ullu App’s show House Arrest. Viral clips show women being coerced into intimate acts on camera. NCW slams the platform for promoting vulgarity and violating consent. CEO and host summoned on May 9,” the commission said in a post on X.
On Thursday, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi had objected to the clip and wondered why apps that stream such obscene content have not been banned.
“I have raised this in the standing committee that apps such as this, namely, Ullu App and Alt Balaji have managed to escape the ban by I&B ministry on apps for obscene content. I am still awaiting their reply,” Ms Chaturvedi, who is a Rajya Sabha MP and member of the Standing Committee on Communications and IT, wrote on X.
“On March 14, 2024, the I&B Ministry had blocked 18 OTT platforms, which were found to be streaming obscene and pornographic content. The apps blocked by the government were primarily platforms distributing explicit material. The following 18 apps were banned… Surprisingly 2 of the biggest apps were kept out- Ullu and Alt Balaji, will I&B tell the country why they were left out from this ban,” she said in another post, sharing the names of the 18 apps.
The clip also caught the attention of BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who shared a post complaining of obscenity “being served” through shows like ‘House Arrest’.
Mr Dubey, who is the chairman of the Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, tagged the handle of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting and wrote, “This will not do @MIB_India. Our committee will take action on this.”
Bollywood
Maharashtra Day: Sonali Kulkarni opens about her Konkan hiking trail achievement

Mumbai, May 1: Actress Sonali Kulkarni, who has been appointed as a brand ambassador of Maharashtra’s Public Service Commission, is celebrating Maharashtra Day on Thursday.
The actress is deeply in love with the state, which accounts for the highest GSDP in the country.
She revealed that she has completed the Konkan trail on foot taking inspiration from her father, who is an avid hiker.
The actress works across Marathi and Hindi cinema, and has been given the honour alongside music composer Shankar Mahadevan.
Speaking on the occasion of Maharashtra Day, the actress told Media, “May 1 holds a special place in my heart. It marks both Maharashtra Day and International Labour Day. I deeply value every individual who contributes through their work, whether it’s a makeup artist, someone from the production team, or support staff. I respect and appreciate the effort and time each person puts in. I consider myself a worker too, both at home and in my field. I’m not shy of doing any kind of work, and I take pride in every person who brings their labour and talent to the table.”
The actress called Maharashtra, a diverse land of artists and sportspersons, as she said, “In our national pledge, we say ‘sampanna aur vividhta se bhara desh’ and Maharashtra reflects that beautifully. We have exceptional writers, sportspersons, actors, and artists in the Marathi industry. Our language is rich and musical; it carries a unique rhythm, a ‘naad’ of its own. I speak fairly good Marathi and deeply love our traditions and cultural landscape. Maharashtra is a treasure trove of art and heritage. It’s my dream to take my family to all the forts I’ve visited.”
She further mentioned, “My father, an avid hiker, has explored every fort in the state. We’ve completed the entire Konkan walking path. My mother, a Warkari, once walked from Anandi to Pandharpur — a tradition I dream of following someday. I love our music, our deities, and our folk culture. I feel truly blessed — by default — to be born in Maharashtra.”
Sonali was feted as the brand ambassador of Maharashtra’s Public Service Commission with greetings from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Mangal Prabhat Lodha, Chief Secretary of Maharashtra Sujata Saunik and Ashish Shelar.
“It makes me feel very proud. Shankar Mahadevan ji and I will be the faces for this initiative. In the Ramayana, there was a small squirrel who helped Ram and his army to build the bridge to Lanka. She was tiny but did her bit. I feel equally responsible and powerful to be the messenger of the government for the public. As an actor, I believe it is my duty to support and contribute positively to the efforts of the government wherever I can,” she added.
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