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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 12 months of college. They’re on the cusp of maturity and like most youngsters, are scuffling with the problems that include this age. Archie and associates, who’ve their origin in one of the broadly learn American comics, discover themselves transplanted in India in a novel approach. To have them as Anglo-Indians is a pleasant contact. Let’s not neglect the Indian in the neighborhood’s title. The individuals of Riverdale love India and wouldn’t consider dwelling wherever else. If they take heed 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 beautifully completed. The essence of the Anglo-Indian neighborhood – their love for music, for dance, baking, working within the railways, adaptation of the western type of clothes and coiffure, in addition to their accents is delivered to 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 superb baker, Ethel is a good hair-dresser and Reggie needs to be a journalist. Veronica, after all, is simply too wealthy to really perceive the considerations of her middle-class associates.
Adulting is difficult. While the children are busy with their final 12 months of carless dwelling, in addition they get to know that their city could be altering, and never for the higher it appears. In the title of progress, the previous 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, Green Park, which lies on the coronary heart of the city and is sacred to the neighborhood due to its nostalgic worth, too is marked for improvement. 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 shiny colors and heat hues. The manufacturing design and the costume design groups too have completed an exquisite job. The movie has been designed as a musical, with songs changing dialogue in key scenes. While the songs are catchy and do complement the movie, they don’t make an influence exterior of the movie’s narrative. While 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 bunch of youngsters. Another 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 will need to have taken a lot of workshops with them as a result of they not solely seem to be actual associates on display but additionally come throughout as seasoned performers, moderately than newbies. Suhana grows on you because the movie progresses and so does Vedang. Yuvraj has a extra layered position to play and does it effortlessly. Dot makes for a positive Ethel as nicely. Khushi comes throughout as a pure on display and so does Agastya. While he will be stated to be the discover of the movie, every of those tremendous assured children have an amazing future forward of them.
Watch the movie for the dose of nostalgia that it gives. It makes you yearn in your faculty/school days and for a life which was easy but excellent.
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 associates navigating friendship, romance, and social accountability as their cherished park faces a menace from builders demolishing it to construct a resort.
The Archies evaluate: Director Zoya Akhtar adapts the adolescent-favourite Archies Comics for the large display and ensures the Bollywood outing is vibrant, youthful, and candy. But above all, she creates it as a teen musical comedy. This 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. Right sufficient, the display is splashed with a dreampop-like sequences and an endearing retro appear and feel. 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).
While 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, Green Park, from being torn right down to make approach for a grand resort. 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 enchantment.
The Archie world’s lovely 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 lady act torn between her businessman father’s shrewdness and loyalty to her associates. Agastya Nanda is charming because the confused Archie, who lives life only for the kicks however should perceive that ‘every part is politics’ and might’t select between Veronica and Betty. Khushi Kapoor impresses as Betty, and has scope to carry out along with her emotional scenes, which she pulls off with aplomb. While Vedang Raina as Reggie and Dot as Ethel are spectacular, Mihir Ahuja because the lovely Jughead is nice, too. Yuvraj Menda as Dilton, because the nerdy and cute teenager, deserves particular point out. All the newcomers get their second to shine.
The film loses steam within the second half and will have been extra partaking because the battle escalates. Solutions are handy, and the decision is trifling. Overall, whereas the period, the appear and feel have been created nicely, the film finally ends up a tad underwhelming. What is pleasant is watching a bunch of recent new faces put their finest meals ahead – whether or not for emoting on display or doing a little rock n roll the 60s tunes.
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