Review for “The Archies”
“The Archies” is out on Netflix. It has been on the news since the project was announced by Zoya Akhtar in late 2021 with people talking about how it was going to be a huge nepo-fest and the other big question was how in the world would they make it work for the Indian context.
Being a major Archie comics fan myself I was worried if they would unnecessarily add Indian tropes to make it work and portray Betty and Veronica differently or if they would choose between Betty or Veronica for Archie just to suit the audience’s expectations.
When the story started with Riverdale’s name, I let out a sigh and got wrapped up in the Anglo-Indian settlement story.
Riverdale itself looks like a cross between Malgudi and say Shimla in summer and the back story works well. This has enabled them to keep the characters intact and work in the Indian context.
I enjoyed seeing Pop Tate’s and the drink they get looks almost identical to the comics!
I missed seeing Archie’s jalopy in action. I did spot one out in the distance when he was washing the trusty Amby but looks like Archie preferred to use a cycle or walk so no luck with the jalopy.
The director has ensured the acting required by the cast is minimal by keeping the story straightforward which you can almost predict. However, the cast has surpassed the expectations that people had.
I believe the best out of the new crop of actors here is, for me, interestingly, Khushi Kapoor. She has done a fabulous job as Betty and you can see her having a bright future in the industry.
Suhana who plays Veronica for all the hype is ok but could have been better. Veronica is indeed pretty flat as a rich-spoiled-girl character and there may not be a lot to work with there but, Suhana has played it a bit too monotone which could have been improved.
Agastya as Archie is good as well and I do see him making it big in the industry as an action/romance hero. He falls flat in certain parts but he shines through. Too bad he did not get to showcase his abilities in an action sequence here.
Out of the other characters I liked Dilton Doiley played by Yuvraj Menda. You just know who he is just by looking at him. Mihir Ahuja as Jughead has been cast well too.
Reggie played by Vedang Raina has done well in the film but has been portrayed as too good of a character than who Reggie Mantle is in the comics.
Finally, the other character I would love to comment on is Hiram Lodge played by Alyy Khan who has played the part to perfection. When he asks Mr. Andrews to remove himself from his property I could almost see him giving Archie the boot!
But, the character I believe is miscast would be Mr. Weatherbee in Deven Khote. I just did not see Mr. Weatherbee in him. Would have preferred Boman Irani who would have been better. But, seeing as there was not much of a part for this character in the movie I do see why an actor such as Boman Irani was not roped in so I’ll forgive them this mistake.
The mood in the film exudes nostalgia which is always a big draw. The period costumes, town locales, house settings everything shows attention to detail. The soundtrack from Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy is good with “Sunoh” being the stand-out track. Others were skippable for me.
Overall, I would give this a 4/5 rating, and is an easy watch for you and the entire family. Don’t expect too much but go in with an open mind in the mood to enjoy a feel-good sitcom and I promise you will not be disappointed. Enjoy!
Review for “The Archies” was originally published in Pradeep Kaushik on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.