The cast of ‘Archies’ – Suhana Khan, Khushi Kapoor, Vedang Raina, Mihir Ahuja, Dot and Yuvraj Menda, along with writer and producer Reema Kagti and Netflix India’s Vice-President of Content, Monika Shergill graced the India Today Conclave Mumbai 2023 on Day 1. The team addressed a session titled ‘New Kids on the Block: Meet the Gen Z of Bollywood aka The Archies Gang’. During the session, they spoke about how the film was conceptualised, the challenges and how everyone will be able to relate to it.
Monica Shergill on how idea of ‘The Archies’ was born
It’s a slightly sort of complex beginning. It started in the US office when Sharad from the Graphic India office approached with the India. He had approached Netflix and Zoya as well to be a part of the journey. It’s been nearly a three and a half year journey. It’s beautiful and collaborative.
Reema Kagti on creating ‘Riverdale’ in India
Both of us (she and Zoya) grew up reading ‘Archies’. My first question was ‘how do we do it’? Once we started working, we surprised ourselves.
It is a comic book at the end of the day and therefore the film derives from fantasy. Our effort was to place them in India. ‘Archies’ for us is universal and timeless and we were trying to create Riverdale in India.
Monica on what ‘The Archies’ has become
Globally, a lot of our shows and films are fuelled by the youth. For Netflix India, we have a very broad base. The kind of stories you can do is huge. Looking at what ‘Archies’ has become, I cannot tell you the amazing work the team has done – it’s a tale of love, friendship. You’ll resonate with the story. It is so happy, positive and seem like your own because you have experienced that or experiencing that. The story of change they have told through ‘Archies’ will be a surprise and a gift for everyone.
It is relevant even today. You have the choreography of that time but the songs of today. It is literally these kids saying ‘humari kahaani suno’ and that’s what the youth says.
Reema Kagti on the casting
Zoya put them in bootcamp and they did all kind of training – things like how to walk over a track without tripping over and how to face the camera. They were wonderful and no one else could have done it. They were not difficult. They are a good bunch and it was fortunate to have them. I hope they remain that way. It must have taken them to find their way, but they got into the skin of the characters from the very beginning.
Agasthya Nanda on playing Archie Andrews
Archie loves music and that’s where we connected. I am definitely not any Casanova. I don’t think we chose ‘Archies’, it is Zoya who chose us. Being on the platform is so exciting because it will stream on 190 countries all at once. It was a great experience.
They are all my friends. I’ll go to each person for different issues. My role model is my dadi- Ritu Nanda. She had this warmth around her and I wish I could do the same for people around me, put that sort of positivity. I am not good with Instagram. My sister is my biggest PR. She and my mom puts everything. I do have a secret profile, but I see reels and check what my friends are doing.