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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.

Bollywood

Salman Khan reveals the reason behind Aamir Khan’s new relationship on premiere of ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 3’

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Mumbai, June 18: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan brought his signature charm and humour to the premiere of ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 3’, where he joined as the first guest.

Taking to Instagram, Netflix shared a video announcing the release date of the new season, along with a sneak peek of the first episode featuring Salman Khan. Sharing the clip, the streaming giant wrote, “Sikandar ka swag + Kapil ki timing = Blockbuster The Great Indian Kapil Show is back aur har Funnyvaar badhega humara parivaar. Watch the first episode from 21st June, 8 pm, every Saturday only on Netflix.”

During the lively conversation with host and comedian Kapil Sharma, Salman playfully revealed the reason behind Aamir’s new relationship, leaving both the audience and Kapil in splits. The episode kicked off the new season with laughter, camaraderie, and candid confessions, setting the tone for another entertaining run of the beloved comedy show.

The video opens with Navjot Singh Sidhu saying, “From today, every moment will be fun. The whole country will be ready to laugh.” Kapil Sharma adds, “Welcome to The Great Indian Kapil Show.” Salman Khan then makes a dramatic entry, joking, “The show that used to be with us, Netflix has taken it away and made me the first guest. That’s real power!” Krushna Abhishek teases Salman by saying, “Tiger is still alive,” to which the Sultan actor quips, “He’s alive, but not for you!”

Kapil then turns to Salman and says, “Aamir Bhai just introduced his fans to his girlfriend. He’s not stopping, but you aren’t even starting!” Laughing, Salman replies, “Aamir is something else. He’s a perfectionist—he won’t settle down until he perfects marriage itself!”

The video ends with Salman and Kapil singing the popular track ‘Oh Oh Jane Jaana’ from the actor’s blockbuster movie, “Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya.”

The first episode of ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show Season 3’ will premiere on June 21 on Netflix.

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Bollywood

Diljit, Ahan join Varun, Sunny for ‘Border 2’ third schedule at Pune’s National Defence Academy

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Mumbai, June 17: Actors Diljit Dosanjh and Ahan Shetty have joined Sunny Deol and Varun Dhawan for the third schedule of their upcoming film “Border 2” at Pune’s National Defence Academy.

Sunny took to Instagram, where he shared a picture posing with the actors Diljit, Varun and Ahan. They were joined by filmmakers Nidhi Dutta and Bhushan Kumar.

For the caption, he wrote: “ When all ‘Forces’ Come together! #BORDER2. Diljit Dosanjh & Ahan Shetty join Sunny Deol and Varun Dhawan as the battalion kicks off the 3rd schedule at Pune’s National Defence Academy!

Sunny added: “On-ground, they’re joined by Producers Bhushan Kumar & Nidhi Dutta, Director Anurag Singh, Co-producers Shiv Chanana and Binoy Gandhi, as the film moves full throttle! Mark your calendars: Border2 hits theaters on Jan 23, 2026!”

Backed by a powerful production team including Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, J.P. Dutta, and Nidhi Dutta, and directed by Anurag Singh, Border 2 is presented by Gulshan Kumar & T-Series, in association with J.P. Dutta’s J.P. Films.

A sequel to the 1997 war drama “Border”, the movie is believed to be based on India and Pakistan’s Kargil War of 1999.

For the unversed, Pakistani troops infiltrated the Line of Control (LoC) and occupied Indian territory mostly in the Kargil district. India responded by launching a major military and diplomatic offensive to drive out the Pakistani infiltrators.

Presented by Gulshan Kumar’s T-Series, along with JP Dutta’s J.P. Films, “Border 2” is likely to be released in the theatres on January 23, 2026.

Talking about Sunny, on May 20, he met Uttarakhand film officials on the ‘Border 2’ set.

The meeting was held at the Halduwala location in Dehradun, where the large-scale war set for his upcoming film Border 2 has been constructed. This interaction highlights the growing collaboration between the film industry and the state government to promote Uttarakhand as a major hub for film production.

Council CEO Bansidhar Tiwari, along with Joint CEO Dr. Nitin Upadhyay, met the actor and director Anurag Singh.

A source close to the development revealed that the team held an in-depth discussion on Uttarakhand’s progressive film policy, the rich variety of shooting locations, and the state government’s continued support to filmmakers.

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Entertainment

June 13 is a once-in-a-lifetime day for me, says actor Naveen Chandra

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Chennai, June 13: Actor Naveen Chandra, who has earmarked a special place for himself in both the Tamil and Telugu film industries, on Friday said that June 13 was a “once-in-a-lifetime day” for him as three of his films were being released on different platforms on the same day!

Taking to his X timeline to pen an emotional post, Naveen Chandra wrote, “June 13th — A once-in-a-lifetime day for me. Andala Rakshasi — Re-released in theatres today. Eleven — Now streaming on @PrimeVideoIN. Blind Spot — Now streaming on @PrimeVideoIN. Three films. One date. A flood of emotions and gratitude. To the audience, the universe, and everyone who stood by me — thank you from the bottom of my heart. This is one of the most memorable days of my journey. #AndalaRakshasi #Eleven #BlindSpot #June13 #InCinemasNow #StreamingNow #PrimeVideo #ActorLife #Gratitude #CareerMilestone.”

Interestingly, the actor’s most recent film, ‘Eleven’, which has come in for critical acclaim, is still running in theatres as audiences seem to be loving its content.

Directed by Lokesh Ajls, the investigative thriller, featuring actor Naveen Chandra in the lead, revolves around a series of murders being committed in the city. The cops are certain that it is a serial killer who is at work and they realise the person they are looking to nab is a psycho with an unbelievable IQ level. What happens next is what Eleven is all about.

Apart from Naveen Chandra, the film features actress Reyaa Hari, who previously starred in ‘Sila Nerangalil Sila Manidhargal’, Abhirami (of ‘Virumandi’ fame), Dileepan (known for ‘Vathikuchi’), and Rithvika (of ‘Madras’ fame).

It may be recalled that the makers of the film, in a move that was considered a first-of-its-kind, released a song called ‘Tamugu‘ which had both Tamil and Telugu lyrics combined!

The peppy number, which was sung by actress Andrea, had music by D Imman and lyrics by Rakendu Mouli.

Meanwhile, ‘Andala Rakshasi’, which is being re-released in theatres on Friday, is a superhit film that marked Naveen Chandra’s debut as an actor.

Directed by ace director Hanu Raghavapudi, the film was produced by Sai Korrapati and co-produced by one of India’s most successful directors, S S Rajamouli.

Apart from Naveen Chandra, the film featured actress Lavanya Tripathi in the lead.

The third film, ‘Blind Spot’, has been written and directed by Rakesh Varma and features Rashi Singh along with Naveen Chandra as the lead. Actors Ali Reza, Ravi Varma, Gayatri Bhargavi, Kishore Kumar, Harika Pedada and Harsh Roshan too play pivotal roles in the film that has music by Sriram Maddury.

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