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3.5/5
The period is 1964. The setting is a quaint little hill station, teeming with Anglo-Indians, someplace in North India, referred to as Riverdale. Archie (Agastya Nanda), Betty (Khushi Kapoor), Veronica (Suhana Khan), Jughead (Mihir Ahuja), Reggie (Vedang Raina), Ethel (Dot) and Dilton (Yuvraj Menda) are highschool college students of their final yr of faculty. They’re on the cusp of maturity and like most youngsters, are fighting the problems that include this age. Archie and buddies, who’ve their origin in probably the most extensively learn American comics, discover themselves transplanted in India in a novel method. To have them as Anglo-Indians is a pleasant contact. Let’s not overlook the Indian locally’s identify. The folks of Riverdale love India and wouldn’t consider dwelling wherever else. In the event that they hearken to The Beatles, then they’re additionally conscious of Mohammed Rafi, Shammi Kapoor is as a lot a sex-symbol for them as Elvis and masala chai feels as refreshing as soda pop.
The Indianisation is fantastically executed. The essence of the Anglo-Indian group – their love for music, for dance, baking, working within the railways, adaptation of the western model of clothes and coiffure, in addition to their accents is dropped at life in nice element.
The movie follows the identical arc that’s proven within the comics. Archie can’t determine between Veronica and Betty, Jughead likes to eat each minute and Dilton likes to invent quirky issues. Betty is proven to be a very good baker, Ethel is a superb hair-dresser and Reggie needs to be a journalist. Veronica, in fact, is just too wealthy to truly perceive the considerations of her middle-class buddies.
Adulting is tough. Whereas the children are busy with their final yr of carless dwelling, in addition they get to know that their city could be altering, and never for the higher it appears. Within the identify of progress, the outdated locations, just like the bookshop of Betty’s father or the city’s favorite cafe, Pop Tate’s, are getting purchased over and giving technique to glitzy storefronts missing a soul and there are rumours that their favorite place, Inexperienced Park, which lies on the coronary heart of the city and is sacred to the group due to its nostalgic worth, too is marked for growth. They determine to boost their voice in opposition to it and within the course of, realise their strengths and weaknesses.
The movie’s cinematographer, Nikos Andritsakis, has given Riverdale a picture-postcard high quality, filling it with vivid colors and heat hues. The manufacturing design and the costume design groups too have executed an exquisite job. The movie has been designed as a musical, with songs changing dialogue in key scenes. Whereas the songs are catchy and do complement the movie, they don’t make an impression outdoors of the movie’s narrative. Whereas the plot is predictable, the writing, particularly the parts which revolve round friendship, has been recent and breezy. They smack of actual relationships between a gaggle of youngsters. One other good factor is that whereas the movie does tilt a bit in direction of Archie, Betty and Veronica, the others too get their second within the solar. It showcases correct group dynamics, with some being extra dominant than the others however on the finish, everyone seems to be a good friend.
It isn’t only a launch car for starkids like Agastya Nanda, Khushi Kapoor and Suhana Khan however brings the others – Mihir Ahuja, Vedang Raina, Aditi Dot and Yuvraj Menda into the limelight as nicely. The director should have taken a lot of workshops with them as a result of they not solely appear to be actual buddies on display screen but in addition come throughout as seasoned performers, fairly than newbies. Suhana grows on you because the movie progresses and so does Vedang. Yuvraj has a extra layered function to play and does it effortlessly. Dot makes for a advantageous Ethel as nicely. Khushi comes throughout as a pure on display screen and so does Agastya. Whereas he might be stated to be the discover of the movie, every of those tremendous assured children have a terrific future forward of them.
Watch the movie for the dose of nostalgia that it offers. It makes you yearn on your college/faculty days and for a life which was easy but good.
Trailer : The Archies
Dhaval Roy, December 7, 2023, 5:00 PM IST
3.0/5
The Archies story: Set in 1964 in a fictional hill station referred to as Riverdale in India, the coming-of-age story follows Archie and his buddies navigating friendship, romance, and social duty as their cherished park faces a risk from builders demolishing it to construct a lodge.
The Archies overview: Director Zoya Akhtar adapts the adolescent-favourite Archies Comics for the large display screen and ensures the Bollywood outing is vibrant, youthful, and candy. However above all, she creates it as a teen musical comedy. That is the place her newest enterprise stands aside. There have been few high-school musical dramas in Hindi cinema earlier than. Add to that the nostalgia worth – the movie’s forged have a novel canvas. Proper sufficient, the display screen is splashed with a dreampop-like sequences and an endearing retro feel and appear. And at its coronary heart are the 90’s children’ favorite youngsters — Archie Andrews (Agastya Nanda), Veronica Lodge (Suhana Khan), Betty Cooper (Khushi Kapoor), Jughead (Mihir Ahuja), Reggie Mantle (Vedang Raina), Ethel Muggs (Dot), and Dilton Doiley (Yuvraj Menda).
Whereas the comics are all concerning the group’s goofy shenanigans, the film falls wanting being as irreverent. The characters are virtually adulting and making robust decisions between ardour and practicality or progress. The theme of healthful friendship is infused with activism, because the gang tries to save lots of the cultural hub, Inexperienced Park, from being torn all the way down to make method for a grand lodge. The film works nicely and charms as a musical. The tracks by Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy, Ankur Tewari, The Islanders, and Dot (Aditi Saigal) are foot-tapping and enjoyable, particularly ‘Dhishoom Dhishoom,’ ‘Sunoh,’ and ‘Va Va Voom.’ Gautam Hegde’s choreography within the songs is one other spotlight that provides to the movie’s visible attraction.
The Archie world’s lovable characters are its strongest level, and it is the identical with the posse of recent faces right here. Suhana Khan, because the wealthy and spoilt Veronica Lodge, pulls off the candy and sassy woman act torn between her businessman father’s shrewdness and loyalty to her buddies. Agastya Nanda is charming because the confused Archie, who lives life only for the kicks however should perceive that ‘the whole lot is politics’ and may’t select between Veronica and Betty. Khushi Kapoor impresses as Betty, and has scope to carry out together with her emotional scenes, which she pulls off with aplomb. Whereas Vedang Raina as Reggie and Dot as Ethel are spectacular, Mihir Ahuja because the lovable Jughead is sweet, too. Yuvraj Menda as Dilton, because the nerdy and cute teenager, deserves particular point out. All of the newcomers get their second to shine.
The film loses steam within the second half and will have been extra participating because the battle escalates. Options are handy, and the decision is trifling. Total, whereas the period, the feel and appear have been created nicely, the film finally ends up a tad underwhelming. What’s pleasant is watching a bunch of recent new faces put their finest meals ahead – whether or not for emoting on display screen or doing a little rock n roll the 60s tunes.
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