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

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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.

Entertainment

Who Is Manraj Jawanda? Know Everything About Rapper Raftaar’s Wife

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Rapper Raftaar tied the knot with Manraj Jawanda on Friday (January 31) in the presence of their friends and family members. The couple has been receiving congratulatory wishes from on social media after several pictures and videos from their wedding celebrations surfaced online.

Raftaar married Manraj, five years after his divorce from his first wife, Komal Vohra. While the rapper did not announced his wedding officially, social media is abuzz with visuals of the functions and congratulatory messages for the couple.

Who is Manraj Jawanda?

Manraj is a fashion stylist and a fitness enthusiast. She has worked as a stylist for several music videos, reality TV shows, as well as advertisements.

Manraj was born and brought up in Kolkata. On her website, Manraj has written, “I have always had keen interest in fashion. From picking out outfit changes at my fifth birthday to the fashion world of Mumbai, my journey has been quite exciting.”

She moved to Mumbai after her graduation and completed a styling course from FAD International.

Manraj was also seen on the Netflix show Pretty Little Liar. “Apart from conducting fashion shoots and working on commercial films as a Costume Stylist and Designer, having built an array of work over the years, I have recently ventured on to the screen as well,” she further mentioned.

Manraj’s Instagram account is private. She has over 5,400 followers on the photo and video-sharing social media platform.

Raftaar and Manraj’s wedding

The speculation began when a content creator shared a picture of a wedding venue entrance standee that read, “Welcome to the wedding celebration of Dilin and Manraj. #ManDilYahinBanenge.” Raftaar, whose real name is Dilin Nair, has not yet addressed the news, but fans have flooded social media with warm wishes for the couple.

A video has also surfaced on X in which Raftaar and Manraj are seen dancing their hearts out at what looks like their pre-wedding function.

In another video, Manraj is seen flaunting her mehendi and grooving to Dil Toh Pagal Hai song.

On Friday morning, videos of their haldi and sangeet ceremony also surfaced on social media.

Raftaar and Komal Vohra’s divorce

In June 2022, it was reported that Rapper filed for divorce from his ex-wife Komal after six years of marriage. The couple, who tied the knot in December 2016, has reportedly filed for divorce in 2020. Their divorce process was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Raftaar and Komal dated each other for five years before tying the knot in a grand ceremony.

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Bollywood

Deva X Review: Netizens Declare Shahid Kapoor’s Cop Drama A ‘Blockbuster’, Praise His Action Scenes & Intense Performance

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Mumbai: Bollywood actor Shahid Kapoor has returned to the silver screens in a brand new avatar with his film Deva. Directed by Rosshan Andrrews, the film also stars Pooja Hegde, Ashutosh Rana, Kubra Sait and Pavail Gulati. It hit the big screens on Friday (January 31) and those who have watched the early morning shows of the film have flooded social media platforms with their reviews.

A section of X (formerly known as Twitter) users already declared Deva a ‘blockbuster’. While some lauded Shahid’s action-packed scenes and his intense performance, others were all praise for Pooja.

An X user said Deva is Shahid’s ‘career-defining’ performance and called it a ‘must-watch’ film. “#Deva Review 🚨🔥 MASTERPIECE ALERT! ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ #ShahidKapoor delivers a career-defining performance as the fierce & unhinged cop, and Rosshan Andrrews crafts an absolute banger of an action thriller! The intensity, #Deva a must-watch,” wrote the user.

Another early review read, “#Deva Review 4/5⭐️ #ShahidKapoor is in his top of his game his Acting is just Truly Outstanding #PoojaHegde shines in her role – The best part about the film is it doesn’t feel dragged a bit because of only 1 song in the film – Climax is 🔥 ( Not Remake doubt clear).”

The film promises to show Shahid in a never-seen-before cop avatar. The actor plays an angry, young cop in the film, and can be seen packing some intense punches and delivering impressive gun-toting scenes.

Hours before the film’s release, Shahid took to social media to share an emotional message with his fans, expressing his deep connection to the project and the effort that went into bringing it to life. He reflected on the years of hard work, dedication, and passion he poured into the role of Deva, a character that he describes as being close to his heart.

“One year of blood sweat and tears. 2024 was all DEVA !!! MERA DIL MERI JAAN. MERA KAAM MERI SHIDDAT. MERA ACTING KE LIYE PYAAR. MERI AUDIENCE KE LIYE MOHOBBAT. MERA SAALON KA EXPERIENCE MERA ANDAR KA CREATIVE BACHHA. SAB HAI IS DEVA MEIN….. Till today he was mine. From tomorrow he is yours,” he wrote.

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Bollywood

Hrithik Roshan’s says ‘What a joy’ after attending Joy Awards 2025

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Mumbai, Jan 29: The prestigious entertainment awards from the Arab world, Joy Awards were held in Riyadh a couple of days ago. Hrithik Roshan represented India at the global event, along with actress Shraddha Kapoor. Now, the “War” actor has taken to his official Instagram account to pen a thank you note.

Showing his gratitude for being a part of the prestigious event, Hrithik Roshan wrote, “What a joy it was to be at the @joyawards 2025 in the presence of some of the best talents from across the globe! Thank you @turkialalshik for having me be a part of this celebration of Global Entertainment and cinema.”

Previously, the official Instagram handle of Joy Awards shared a group portrait of numerous celebrities from around the world who were a part of the event. While Hrithik Roshan looked all handsome in a red pantsuit, Shraddha Kapoor was a sight to behold in an abaya-inspired corset gown.

In the meantime, Hrithik Roshan recently used social media to wish his sister Sunaina Roshan on her birthday. Posting a picture of his sister after her incredible weight loss journey, the ‘Super 30’ wrote, “Happy birthday Didi. Your newfound attitude to life and the things you have accomplished this past year are nothing less than extraordinary! In fact it’s almost magical. Keep going didi ! You are amazing and I love you”.

Furthermore, Hrithik Roshan celebrated 25 years of his debut film “Kaho Naa… Pyaar Hai” with a special Instagram post. Sharing many pictures of the notes that he wrote ahead of the shooting of the film as part of his preparation, he wrote in the caption, “My notes from 27 years ago. Prepping as an ACTOR for my first movie ‘Kaho Na Pyaar Hai’, I remember how nervous I was. Still am when starting a movie. I’d be embarrassed sharing these, but after 25 years of being in the industry I guess I can handle it. Then to now, what’s changed? I see these pages and realise, absolutely nothing. Good thing? Bad thing? It’s just how it is (sic)”.

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