The Archies review: Zoya Akhtar creates feel-good, nostalgic coming-of-age drama, but the star kids need to do better

Director: Zoya Akhtar

Cast: Agastya Nanda, Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Vedang Raina, Yuvraj Menda, Dot, Mihir Ahuja

Where to watch: Netflix

Rating: 3 stars

It is not often that I have the luxury of writing a movie review after most of my industry colleagues have published theirs. But this time, I am late to the party and surprisingly, in the minority. Most of my fellow reviewers (including many esteemed seniors) seemed to have loved Zoya Akhtar’s Bollywoodised take on Archie’s Comics characters. But I am taking a left field view. I do love the world Zoya has created and the effortless manner in which she has managed to make this other-worldly land of Riverdale seem familiar. And yet, despite great cinematography, a cohesive plot, some good music, it remains less than the sum of its parts.

The Archies is set in the fictitious town of Riverdale, somewhere in the hills of Uttarakhand (then Uttar Pradesh) in the 1960s. It is a town of less than 9000 people, all Anglo-Indians. Hence, the culture, names, and vibe is closer to 60s’ US than India. It is a clever way to set that premise and it does work. The story follows our group of seven youngsters, who must navigate confusing feelings of love, infatuation, identity, and connection with your roots as they step into adulthood.

What works for The Archies is its world-building and simplicity. The nostalgia it evokes takes one back to the era of Rogers and Hammerstein’s musicals. Despite being other-worldly, it gets relatable soon. And that is because it focuses on the important things – emotions and relationships. So suddenly, how the characters dress and everything else glossy becomes immaterial. And yet, it is pretty to look at. The aesthetics of the film are a big plus too, creating the ambience and history of Riverdale very firmly.

The plot is simplistic but like most Zoya Akhtar films, very concise an easy to follow. There are copious pop culture references, clever jokes (some too clever for their own good) and nice little callbacks to the 60s. Zoya Akhtar very deftly immerses us into this world that is closer to Hollywood rom coms than anything desi and never lets us feel out of place.

Then it becomes the actors’ job to bring it out. That is where the galloping horse stumbles though. The writing also deserves some blame with many scenes looking too artificial, suddenly yanking the viewer out of the suspension of disbelief. The dialogue is too comic book and I am not sure if it’s deliberate because it does feel gimmicky.

Of course, the focus in the film (and throughout the promotional campaign) has been on the three leads – Archie (Agastya Nanda), Betty (Khushi Kapoor), and Veronica (Suhana Khan). Of them, Suhana impressed me the most. She is earnest and manages to be very good in some of the more emotional scenes, showing promise for future. But her performance remains sketchy in many parts. Betty Cooper was almost tailor-made for Khushi, suiting her demeanour and acting style. But the starlet comes short in terms of dialogue delivery and emotional range. Agastya Nanda, too, comes across as wooden in many of the intense scenes but does make up for it somewhat with his charm.

The real standout performances from the film for me were from Vedang Raina, who makes Reggie Mantle the most likable character easily and effortlessly. He brings out the character’s growth and maturity to the fore quite well. Dot, who plays Ethel Muggs, is another actor who deserves some praise for handling her scenes with great composure befitting a more seasoned actor. Among the veterans, Alyy Khan steals the show with a delicious portrayal of Hiram Lodge. Vinay Pathak, Tara Sharma, Luke Kenny, and Delnaaz Irani are ever reliable.

But The Archies remains one of Zoya’s weakest films. It is feel-good and filled with nostalgia but does lacks the depth that some of her previous works have. Her films have always had good rewatch value. I am not so sure if I want an encore of The Archies though. It was a nice little treat that made me feel good for a little while. But not good enough to entice me again. What irks me is how better it could have been.