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
Suniel Shetty wishes ‘Hera Pher’ co-star Akshay Kumar as he turns 59

Mumbai, Sep 9: Actor Suniel Shetty wished his ‘Hera Pher’ co-star Akshay Kumar with a special social media post as he turned 59 years old on Wednesday.
He wrote on his X (Previously known as Twitter) timeline, “Some bonds don’t need too many words. Years go by, life gets busier, but the warmth respect and affection remain exactly the same. So many memories behind us… and plenty more ahead. Happy happy Birthday Akkii…have a great one. @akshaykumar (sic).”
Suniel even dropped a picture where he was seen posing alongside the birthday star.
Talking about the ‘Hera Pheri’ franchise, the primary instalment made under the direction of Priyadarshan, starring Akshay Kumar (Raju), Suniel Shetty (Shyam), and Paresh Rawal (Baburao), reached the audience back in 2000.
‘Hera Pheri’ was initially a sleeper hit, but later turned into one of Bollywood’s most beloved comedies, gaining cult status.
6 years later, in 2006, the makers released ‘Phir Hera Pheri’, bringing back the beloved trio of Akshay, Suniel and Paresh.
Now, the third instalment, ‘Hera Pheri 3’, is in the works, featuring both Akshay and Suniel.
It must be noted that apart from the ‘Hera Pheri’ franchise, Akshay and Suniel have shared the screen in various other projects such as ‘Mohra (1994)’, ‘Waqt Hamara Hai (1993)’, ‘Sapoot (1996)’, ‘Dhadkan (2000)’, ‘Awara Paagal Deewana (2002)’, ‘Aan: Men at Work (2004)’, Deewane Huye Paagal (2005), and ‘De Dana Dan (2009)’.
Talking about Akshay’s promising lineup, he will be seen reuniting with Saif Ali Khan after a long gap in Priyadarshan’s forthcoming thriller, ‘Haiwaan’. The project that will also see Shriya Pilgaonkar and Saiyami in crucial roles is a remake of the Malayalam drama ‘Oppam’.
In addition to this, Akshay has also joined the ensemble cast of Rohit Shetty’s ‘Golmaal 5’, alongside Ajay Devgn, Arshad Warsi, Tusshar Kapoor, Shreyas Talpade, Kunal Kemmu, and Sharman Joshi.
Akshay has further been roped in for Anees Bazmee’s untitled next. Touted to be a family comedy, the movie will also see Vidya Balan and Raashi Khanna in important roles.
Bollywood
Aamrapali Dubey: Being a female actress in regional cinema constrains you to ornamental kind of roles

Mumbai, Sep 8: Aamrapali Dubey, one of the most successful female stars of Bhojpuri cinema, says her journey to stardom was rooted in her acting rather than merely her popularity and added that she was fortunate to be offered diverse roles in an industry where female actors are often restricted to ornamental parts.
Asked if she believes the Bhojpuri industry gave her enough respect as an actor, or did it mostly value her star power, Aamrapali told media: “They did give me extreme and a lot of respect because of my acting skills, which is very rare for female actresses in my industry because most of the time, being a female actress in regional cinema constrains you to limited, ornamental kinds of roles.”
Aamrapali, who made her acting debut with the television soap opera Saat Phere – Saloni Ka Safar in 2009. Following her known portrayal of Suman in Rehna Hai Teri Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein. She ventured into Bhojpuri films with Nirahua Hindustani in 2014, considers herself very “lucky.”
“ I’ve been offered and I’ve done films which have different concepts and there’s a lot to perform in them. So, as an actress, I’ve been able to play a lot of different roles,” she said.
Talking about her performance, she said: “I’ve played the role of a Pakistani girl, I’ve also played the role of a Hyderabadi girl. So I’ve played a lot of different roles in the Bhojpuri industry, and people gave me a lot of love for those roles. After that, I’ve been given the title of a star. So that’s that.”
Aamrapali is currently seen in the 20th edition of Bigg Boss which started on September 6.
It has a diverse lineup of 16 celebrity contestants including names such as MC Mary Kom, Kanika Mann, Mahhi Vij, Kushal Tanwar, Aman Gandhi, Isha Rikhi, Arishfa Khan, Qazi Touqeer, Asif Khan, Aamrapali Dubey, Rhiti Tiwari, Uditi Singh, Tanmay Singh aka ScoutOP, Rohed Khan, Yung DSA and Love Gill.
Bollywood
Subhash Ghai apologises for missing ‘Dear Friend’ Rakesh Roshan birthday bash

Mumbai, Sep 7: Filmmaker Subhash Ghai apologises for missing ‘Dear Friend’ Rakesh Roshan’s birthday bash last night.
However, to make up for it, Ghai took a trip down memory lane and published a photo from Rakesh Roshan’s birthday bash last year.
The throwback picture featured Ghai, Rakesh Roshan, his better half, Pink Roshan, Anil Kapoor and Jackie Shroff.
Wishing the ‘Karan Arjun’ maker, Ghai wrote on the photo-sharing app, “HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY DEAR FRIEND #RAKESH ROSHAN – a person n director i always admire but i had to miss his last night party. Here is my memory pic with my ram Lakhan on his last year party when his karan Arjun were missing. Rakesh n pinki Wonderful couple I love to be with them. Stay blessed always with happy life ahead (sic).”
Rakesh Roshan also reacted to the post, saying, “Subhash ji much gratitude”, along with a folded hands emoji.
As Rakesh Roshan turned a year older on Sunday, his daughter Sunaina Roshan penned a heartfelt birthday wish for him on Insta.
She posted a video montage of some rare father-daughter moments over the years.
Sunaina revealed that for her, the biggest compliment is being told that she is like her father. She added that she highly admires his strength, wit, and resilience.
Her birthday wish for her dad read, “If being called your daughter wasn’t enough of a blessing, being told that I’m like you is one of my favourite compliments. Your strength, your wit, your resilience… these are the qualities I’ve always admired in you and I’m so happy to carry a little piece of them with me”.
“Forever proud to be your daughter. Forever your Daddy’s girl. Happy Birthday, Papa. I love you”, she further wrote.
Rakesh Roshan commented, “Thank you Niks” on his daughter’s post.
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